Confessions of Love
by Yugi Muuto
Summary: THE FINAL CHAPTER! After 4 months the story of confused relationships is at its end! Send me your requests via email for a new fic if you want me to write a particular storyline or relationship!
1. Drifting

My second fic…hope you like it! It's also the sequel to Emotional Trauma, put in a chapter series…  
  
  
  
Letting Go  
  
  
  
5.55. Still 5 minutes to go, Yugi thought. He was standing outside the Turtle Game Shop…waiting for a very special person to make their appearance…  
  
*Flashback*  
  
School courts, second break. Yugi was watching Tea play netball, along with his friends Joey and Bakura.  
  
"Oh man these girls are fine!" drooled Joey, staring out at the windswept basketball courts. Of course he of all people had noticed how the wind had picked up lately…  
  
"Heh, maybe if I look closely enough I can see their panties under those," he thought, gawking at some of the girls as they swung for the ball. Naturally Yugi hadn't failed to notice this:  
  
"Hey Joey?" he said, waving his hand in front of Joey's face. Joey was completely out of it…it was almost as if he was in some kinda trance. A tear ran down the side of Bakura's forehead.  
  
"It's no use, Yugi…" he said, "Joey's just not with us"  
  
"Hey c'mon Joey," pleaded Yugi, frantically trying to get his friend's attention, but he could see he was getting nowhere. Instead he tried to concentrate on trying to make out Tea in the crowd of girls. He finally saw her at the back of the huddle.  
  
"Hey Tea!" he called out to her  
  
"Yugi?" she said, turning to meet his gaze, "What are you guys doing here?"  
  
Yugi was about to reply when he noticed the ball sailing towards Tea's head…  
  
"Hey watch out!" he and Bakura shouted as Tea met the ball head-on. Literally. She was temporarily knocked to the ground for a while, while Yugi rushed over to help her up.  
  
"Sorry Tea," he apologised, "I didn't see it coming."  
  
"Neither did I!" she laughed back, "Its OK Yugi"  
  
She gave him a huge hug, and went back to the game. Yugi too went back to his position outside of the courts. He noticed Joey had his eyes on one of the girls in the group…he already knew who it was…  
  
"Hey Joey why are you looking at Tea that way?" asked Bakura innocently. Joey almost immediately sprang back into life.  
  
"Huh? What?" he replied, bemused. He could see Bakura almost sniggering at him, but Yugi seemed a little more concerned.  
  
"Joey, do you have a crush on Tea?" he asked, rationally. Surely Joey knew there was chemistry between him and Tea…so why was he still looking at her like some kind of sex object? Yugi had made the first move, but he didn't expect that there were any more to be played…  
  
"What? No Yugi…." He answered, his eyes wandering back to the courts again, "Why would you think something like that…Don't you trust me?"  
  
"Of course I trust you Joey," Yugi shot back, hiding his suspicions. He attempted to change the subject.  
  
"Why didn't you ask Tristan to come with us?"  
  
"Ah he was out with Miho," Joey replied, in almost an emotional way, "And you know how much he loves to spend time with Miho…". He looked away again, but this time not back towards the courts…it looked like he was far away again. Yugi couldn't help but worry a little about how Joey had reacted to him over the last few days. He'd become quite forceful and irritable at times, but then he would seem to just drift off into his own little world…  
  
The whistle sounded for the end of the game. Tea walked out of the courts towards the guys, obviously still a little flustered.  
  
"Hey guys, what's up?" she asked, with a broad smile across her face.  
  
"Wow you look quite tired Tea" responded Bakura.  
  
"Yeah Tea…are you OK to walk back with us?" asked Yugi. Tea held Yugi by his hips and planted a kiss on his lips. Yugi blushed slightly, and held Tea back.  
  
"Yeah of course I'll be fine!" she answered, in a 'Why would you ask a question like that?' kind of tone. She grinned at Yugi, and then at Joey, who had been looking away during this entire encounter. She whispered something in Yugi's ear:  
  
"Hey is Joey OK?" she asked, "He hasn't said anything to me in days!"  
  
"I know Tea…it's kind of spooky…" Yugi replied, " He's been like it for some time now…"  
  
"Oh well…are you still OK for tonight?" she asked  
  
"Of course I am!" he answered "I'll be ready at about 6"  
  
"See ya there then" she replied, again kissing him passionately on the lips. He couldn't wait.  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
"Well she should be here any time about now," Yugi thought. About a minute later, he saw Tea walking down the street towards him. She was wearing a long black dress, decorated with sequins across the waist and sleeves. Her hair was done up, and she looked radiant in the twilight sky.  
  
"Tea!" Yugi shouted to her. He ran towards her and stalled a few yards away from her. He looked up at her graceful figure, and stood upright in awe.  
  
"What's the matter Yugi?" she said, closing her eyes and grinning.  
  
"You…You…look beautiful." He stammered. He was still struck by her appearance…she almost looked like a movie star. She placed her arms around his shoulders and lovingly fondled his neck.  
  
"Thanks Yugi," she said, "I almost thought I wasn't going to make it…"  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Yugi, bringing her hands from around his neck to her waist, holding them tightly. Tea seemed worried…  
  
"Well Joey didn't seem to approve of me going out with you tonight…" she answered, faltering slightly. Yugi could notice her mind wandering…and a tear began to slide from her eyes onto her cheek.  
  
"Why not? Tea what's wrong?" he asked. She almost seem to stumble over and into his arms…Yugi noticed more tears running down her cheeks…  
  
"Tea what is it…what's Joey said to you?"  
  
  
  
1 If you ever heard the words "I just don't care"  
  
Baby please forgive the foolish heart that told you that  
  
When the road got tough, I started doubting myself  
  
Still I can't believe that life's worth living, with anybody else  
  
So why do we say Goodbye?  
  
When we know we'll only cry  
  
We're gonna be lonely  
  
And why do we fool ourselves?  
  
Saying there'll be someone else  
  
For me there's you only  
  
We're gonna be lonely  
  
All we need to make it right, is precious time  
  
But it's funny, such a simple thing's so hard to find  
  
Don't know when or where we started living separate lives  
  
But I know it's still worth fighting for, I see it in your eyes  
  
So why do we say Goodbye?  
  
When we know we'll only cry  
  
We're gonna be lonely  
  
And why do we fool ourselves?  
  
Saying there'll be someone else  
  
For me there's you only  
  
We're gonna be lonely  
  
Now I realise that I've been living so selfishly  
  
Somewhere along the way I forgot, you had your own hopes and dreams  
  
I never meant to make you weak, but I was too blind to see  
  
I've been hurting you, how I made you blue  
  
Now guilt is killing me  
  
So why do we say Goodbye?  
  
When we know we'll only cry  
  
We're gonna be lonely  
  
And why do we fool ourselves?  
  
Saying there'll be someone else  
  
For me there's you only  
  
We're gonna be lonely  
  
Heh I guess if you liked my first fic you might wanna see more of this. If you wanna see more, just R&R! Thanx! 


	2. Melancholy Confrontation

1 Part 2, compiled in a 30 minute ecstasy of coke and sugar…heheheh  
  
If you want to, for some bizarre reason, sue me…well you can't because I DON'T OWN YU-GI-OH! There, I said it…kinda wish I did own them though…ah well  
  
  
  
"Tea? What's up? What has Joey been saying to you?" Yugi asked, staring down at the fallen angel, clutching to his back. Her head was buried deep in his chest.  
  
"He…he asked me to stay with him for the night…" Tea answered, still shaking.  
  
"But what's wrong with that?" Yugi quizzed back, not entirely sure of what she was getting at. Joey had always been like that, to all of his friends…so why was Tea acting so paranoid all of a sudden?  
  
"It wasn't what he said…it was the way he said it," she replied, standing up once more. Her sparkling black gown was doused around the neckline with tears.  
  
"He sounded strange…mean almost,"  
  
"What? Joey? He's always like that…what's so different now?" Yugi replied.  
  
"He…he grabbed me when I said I couldn't stay with him…he tried to pull me into his house…I just don't know what's wrong with him…" she answered. Yugi could see the tears welling in her eyes…but were they from fear or concern? At least now he could see why Tea was so emotional about it…who wouldn't be? But he concluded that the best way to sort this out was to go and see Joey himself.  
  
"Look Tea, I'm going over to work out what's been going on with Joey lately," he finalised, "Whatever this is, I'm sure we can work things out…"  
  
Tea was still standing, rigid, where Yugi had stood a while ago. "Do you want me to come too, Yugi?" she enquired, "I can't stand a moment without you right now."  
  
Yugi could still see the tears streaming from her eyes. He wiped them off her face with his hands, and cupped them around her cheeks. He rose up to kiss her, and she received him with her arms. They embraced for a while, before Yugi was ready to give his answer. They stood, clasping each other's hips tightly, as the sun began to fade from the sky…  
  
"I really don't want you to go through more of what happened earlier…" he responded, "But if you think you can't settle this by yourself, then maybe it would be better if you came…" He flashed her another sparkling smile…"And I could sure use your company!"  
  
"Thanks Yuug," she replied, showing what appeared to be a shadow of a smile.  
  
"Well let's go then" Yugi answered, turning back towards the street, his fingers now smoothly caressing her trembling hands… "You'll be fine!"  
  
When they eventually reached Joey's house, Yugi walked into the porch and rang the bell. After they waited for a moment, they heard no response. Again Yugi rang the bell, but it became clear after a few minutes that there was going to be no reply. Tea shook her head.  
  
"I don't think he's in Yugi" she deduced, "Looks like we're wasting our time…"  
  
Yugi sighed. He knew she was right…they were getting nowhere.  
  
"Maybe he isn't…" he said eventually, "But if I know Joey I'd guess he's just in denial right now". His turned his head towards the top window of Joey's house. A large tree looming over it concealed most of the facade, but he could just make out a faint melody pouring out of the window…it seemed soulful, making Yugi's stomach turn. Why would Joey be listening to music like that? He knew that Joey had always held a tough street cred, so this seemed very uncharacteristic of him…  
  
"Yugi what are you looking at?" Tea inquired as she noticed Yugi's attention turning away from the problem in hand.  
  
"Huh? What?" Yugi answered, quickly reverting back to Tea's position. She was leaning lightly on the inside of the porch with a bewildered look on her face. She looked oddly attractive, just slouched there with her arms by her side…what the hell was he thinking! He shook his head violently.  
  
"The window…" Yugi replied, "Joey hasn't gone anywhere…"  
  
"What do you mean Yugi? He's still up there!" she yelled, "Why hasn't he come down then?"  
  
"I don't know Tea…I just don't know…but I'm not standing around here any longer" said Yugi, as he walked back and few yards, and bolted shoulder- first into Joey's front door.  
  
"We know you're in there Joey! Come on out, we need to talk!"  
  
Again he barged the door. Listening closely, Tea heard a faint voice from behind the door:  
  
"No Yugi, I have to deal with this on my own"  
  
"Yugi, stop!" Tea yelled. Yugi spun around to face her, from inside the doorway. He nodded knowingly, and pressed his ear to the door:  
  
"Yugi…I can't explain what I did…not now…I need to sort this out on my own…"  
  
"Joey I know what's wrong!" Yugi shouted desperately "…its Mai isn't it?"  
  
Silence. Yugi and Tea pressed their ears nearer to the door, but they could still hear nothing. Yugi felt guilty…if Mai had dumped Joey he certainly wouldn't have wanted to talk about it…but it still hurt him to think of his friend like this. The last noises Tea and Yugi heard from inside were the speedy clamping of shoes, approaching a staircase…and then everything fell silent again.  
  
Tea sighed.  
  
"Oh well…at least we know what's wrong now," she replied, turning to Yugi…but was shocked to see the expression on his face. His eyes had narrowed, and his lips were clamped together like rocks.  
  
"Yugi…are you OK?" she asked innocently, not knowing whether now was the right time to be asking him this sort of question. He hastily changed his expression to a more depressed solemn tone.  
  
"Tea I'm fine…" he responded, though still with a slight twinge of anger in his voice, "I just can't bare to see Joey putting himself through this…and his friends too…"  
  
Tea simply nodded her agreement, and placed her arms over Yugi's shoulders as they both slumped defeatedly in the doorway, and listened to the soulful music from Joey's room fill the street…and their hearts…with depressing chords….  
  
So that's chapter 2 over and done with…hope you liked it! I'm not sure when I'll start chapter three though…but keep your eyes peeled : ^ R&R as always! 


	3. Remaining Recollection

Part 3! Hope you were looking forward to this! Just a reminder that I don't own YuGiOh or any of the characters in it…damn  
  
  
  
Joey stared up at the ceiling, gazing up at the pictures of him and Mai that he had suspended over his bed. He felt guilty about how he had reacted to Yugi and Tea earlier, but he really wasn't in the mood to talk, let alone argue. The incident had only dragged him farther and farther away from them…but he couldn't see a way around it without embarrassing himself…and his friends too. He didn't want them to get involved in this…it was his own fault, and he knew it.  
  
*FLASHBACK*  
  
"Look, I asked for a Sprite, not this bottle of crap!"  
  
"Joey calm down!" Mai pleaded. Her and Joey were standing in front of a counter in KFC, and Joey was ranting about the order they'd made:  
  
"Look if you can't even get one lousy orda' right how the hell you gonna graduate, bud. Look I'm just here asking for a meal, it ain't exactly rocket science man?"  
  
Mai could see Joey was getting really agitated…she had to do something. It was her idea to come here after all…they'd organised it the previous day after school. She thought it was a good idea at first, but it was quickly becoming a nightmare…  
  
"Hey Joey why don't we just find somewhere to sit, so they can bring it across to us?" she said, grabbing Joey by his T-shirt.  
  
"Nah don't worry Mai, I can settle this myself…." Joey responded, "I know what I'm doing…"  
  
"Where have we heard that before?" Mai replied jokingly. Joey gave her an evil stare, and she immediately backed off…."Hey calm down Joey it was a joke…."  
  
"Well I ain't in the mood rite now, 'k?" Joey shot back, taking his Sprite abruptly out of the checkout guy's hands. "C'mon let's sit down…."  
  
They found a place to sit, and began to eat their meals. Not a word was said between them for about ten minutes…Joey was literally tearing at his food like an animal. Mai could see that he was still very annoyed, so she attempted to break the silence:  
  
"So what you doin' tomorrow?" she asked innocently. This wasn't like her at all…why the hell was she being so nice all of a sudden? In any case she decided to swallow her pride…Joey meant more to her than that.  
  
"Nothin much…" said Joey, his mouth full of chicken… "I'm gonna meet up with Tristan in the morning and we're just gonna hang out for a while before school…"  
  
"Wait, I thought you said that Tristan was gonna be out with Miho all day!" Mai pointed out. Joey smacked his head o_o0  
  
"Oh yeah, I must have forgot," he answered embarrassingly. He still looked a little flustered from earlier, but Mai could see that she was getting somewhere.  
  
"I'm just gonna pop down to the mall to pick up some stuff I ordered" she replied, smiling, "Want me to get you anything? I'll probably be back by about 11.45…"  
  
"Sorry, can't make it back then" Joey quickly returned, "It's second break, and I'll be over by the netball courts with…"  
  
"What? Netball courts? Why?" Mai shot back, looking decidedly frustrated. Joey blocked his hands in front of his face.  
  
"Hey wait, wait chill out!" he shouted, "I'm gonna be over there with Yugi…"  
  
"Oh so Yugi's more important than me now is he?" she yelled back "And I guess that's not all you're there for, is it Joey Wheeler?"  
  
"Hey what's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"I've know you Joey…you're not just over there to hang out with Yugi are you?"  
  
"What are you tryin' to say Mai" Joey had now stood up from his seat, and was staring at Mai blankly, "I'm just out with Yugi and Bakura, watchin' Tea play netball and then we're gonna….  
  
"Ah, I knew it! It's Tea isn't it? I knew you had feelings for her!" Mai replied forcefully, "Tell me what's been going on…"  
  
"NOTHING! Godammit nothing's going on between us! Why the hell do you think I'd be cheating on you?"  
  
"I know you far too well to just believe that story," Mai screamed," Just give it to me straight…are you going out with her? I thought she was going out with Yugi? Why are you tryin' to steal your best friend's fiancé?"  
  
"I'M NOT GOING OUT WITH TEA!" Joey yelled, finally cracking under the strain and sweeping the bag of fast food off the table, "BUT I CAN SEE WHY YOU'D BE JEALOUS! SHE'S FAR BETTER LOOKING THAN A SLUT LIKE YOU…COMPARED TO HER YOU'RE A F*CKIN BITCH! WHY DON'T YOU GO CRAWL BACK TO YOUR PIMP?"  
  
Joey had succeeded in disturbing everyone in the restaurant. The entire place was silent, apart from the faint whimpers, coming from Mai. Her eyes were wide open, her mouth was hung limply outright, and her entire face was red. Joey snapped back into reality…  
  
"Look Mai, I'm real sorry for…"  
  
"Don't say anything! Don't talk to me…don't even look at me!" she screamed, picking up her bag and running to the door, her hands covering her face. But even as she ran out, Joey could still see the tears dripping to the floor as she bundled through the door…and into the night. He hung his head in shame, his arms swinging loosely by side, and decided to chase after her.  
  
But when he eventually reached the exit, Mai was nowhere to be found.  
  
*END FLASHBACK*  
  
Joey felt the tears running down his face…why had he done that? And to Mai of all people? Was it because he was tense? He couldn't understand it. Maybe he should try to call her...no; he couldn't phone her…she wouldn't want to speak to him after that.  
  
He noticed the moon descending over the horizon as he climbed out of his bed and peered out of the window. His music was still on…he just needed to hear something calming to try and get him to think right now. But even as he stood there besides the window, he noticed something that he'd never heard before…it was calming, almost depressing. Finding himself almost helplessly lost, Joey slowly walked over to the stereo and turned up the volume to hear it better, before slouching back onto his bed.  
  
1 You took me higher  
  
Than I've ever been  
  
Now that we're strangers, I've come down again  
  
Back to the real world, back to the real world  
  
Back to the ground  
  
2 Not high above it  
  
Without your loving  
  
Now I'm Earthbound  
  
Joey rose his head…he'd heard this song before, but he didn't know where from. He instantly thought of Mai…and how she was doing.  
  
"I really should say sorry, I guess" he murmured to himself, "But then again there's no way that she'll forgive me…."  
  
Because your Love, it lifted me above it all  
  
Without it, it's leaving me so far to fall  
  
(But I) I hope you find what you're looking for  
  
I never thought there could be anymore…  
  
Joey's head slumped back onto his pillow, listening to the chorus:  
  
But if you really have to go  
  
You take the high I'll take the low  
  
But when you leave me, don't you know  
  
You leave me Earthbound  
  
Joey listened to the verse repeating over again…it was if something had changed inside of him by just listening to those lyrics. He didn't feel so angry and uptight anymore…maybe thinking over the incident again had helped him to work out what was wrong. Either way, he had to phone Mai…it was the least he could do for her.  
  
Because we used to say that we were far away  
  
Because our love, it took us to another place  
  
And it's so hard for me to face  
  
Joey walked up to the phone and dialled Mai's number, his fingers shaking as he pressed the dials…eventually he had the courage to bring the phone to his ear. He waited for what seemed to be an eternity for an answer…but when he did it was an answering machine. He sighed remorsefully.  
  
"Hey you've reached Mai Valentine cutie, sorry I can't come to the phone at the moment, just leave a message and I promise I'll get back to you"  
  
But if you really have to go  
  
You take the high I'll take the low  
  
But when you leave me, don't you know  
  
You leave me Earthbound  
  
"Promise? She promised?" Joey thought to himself. Maybe this was the right thing to do after all…he couldn't bear it any longer. He needed Mai with him…she was the only thing that kept him sane half the time, and he could see how being without her had affected him. He missed her more than she would ever know, and the way he'd reacted to his friend earlier only made that more obvious…what would he do without her?  
  
"Hi Mai…umm… this is Joey…please get back to me" he said trembling, before slamming the receiver down. Well at least he'd done it now. He felt better already…well sort of anyway! While he slumped back onto his bed, he noticed a strange grunting sound beneath his window…and looked down to see two figures embracing against the front door, leaning on each other, and snoring peacefully.  
  
"Sleep well Yugi," he whispered under his breath, as he clambered back into his bed. "Things'll be different tomorrow…I promise"  
  
Tell me, was that what OK? I just wanted to know if there were any of you still reading the story, and I hope this met your expectations! R&R as always please! 


	4. Seductional Depression

I don't own YuGiOh….I don't….but if only I did! *breaks down in a frenzy of tears*  
  
Part 4…I'll have to finish this story somehow, but it seems a long way off, so I guess I'll just have to keep you all in suspense for a while!  
  
  
  
"Yugi…Yugi wake up"  
  
Yugi opened his eyes to see Tea shaking him against the wall of Joey's porch. It was daybreak…the trees were alive with the sound of bird song and the shimmering sun just peaked into view as he surveyed his surroundings.  
  
"Huh, what? Tea what are we doing here?" Yugi mumbled in a daze, his head falling onto Tea's shoulder. She smiled and hugged him close to her.  
  
"Don't you remember Yugi? We were here last night to see Joey…I guess we must have fallen asleep in the doorway" she chuckled, and Yugi gave a small snigger.  
  
"So what are we still doing here?" he asked, entwining his arms in hers in a tight embrace. He squeezed her still closer to him, obviously unaware of where he was, and probably clinging to the one person that he felt truly safe with.  
  
"I don't know…I guess we just fell asleep listening to the music, and I only just woke up!" Tea giggled excitedly, "But it was fun, huh?"  
  
Yugi simply nodded and brushed his hands past her hips. Slowly, he began to slide his hands against her smooth legs, caressing her smooth skin, and running his fingers along her thighs. He still wasn't fully awake yet…what did he think he was doing?  
  
Tea's heart was pounding…this was a little unexpected…and why here of all places? Why now? And what the hell was Yugi planning on doing? Ah sod it, she thought.  
  
"Mmmm…Yugi…" she groaned seductively, placing her hands around his neck, and kissing it invitingly.  
  
"Don't worry," he replied, laying a finger over her lips, "I'll take good care of you…"  
  
"Hey you guys…am I interrupting something here?"  
  
They spun around instinctively. It was Tristan!  
  
"Tristan what the f*ck are you doing here?" Tea screamed. Her face was red with anger, and maybe even a hint of embarrassment…had he caught them at it?  
  
"Whoa chill out Tea!" he replied, backing away, "I just wondered what you and Yugi were doing out here so early in the morning…"  
  
"None of your business!" she screeched back at him, "And why are you here anyway?"  
  
"I'm just here to see Joey…is he in?"  
  
"Yeah I think so," Tea answered, calming slightly, as Yugi's head slumped over her shoulder, his hands still in a very intimate area of her thighs, "Yugi wake up!"  
  
"Huh? What? Tea?" he moaned sheepishly, suddenly realising where his hands were. He withdrew them quickly, and turned to face Tristan.  
  
"Hey Yugi…have you seen Joey lately?" Tristan quizzed, his arms folded, standing on the pavement in front of them.  
  
"Not since yesterday afternoon," he responded, stumbling to his feet, "We were just getting back from second break, and when I looked around I couldn't find him…do you know anything about it?"  
  
"I think I might," answered Tristan, "…turns out he didn't spend a good evening with Mai on Thursday…but I'll have to tell you the rest inside, it's so cold out here!"  
  
The three walked from Joey's house towards the Turtle Game Shop, Tristan leading the way, with Tea and, lastly, Yugi following behind him. Yugi was finally fully awake…it had taken him long enough, Tea thought. She winked at him, and Yugi looked back at her and smiled. She dropped back to be nearer him…grabbing his hand, she lightly tickled his earlobe with her tongue:  
  
"Maybe later," she whispered. Yugi gazed back at her and pecked her on the cheek… this was going to be exciting for both of them, but they had to find somewhere more private first…  
  
Joey lay spread out on his bed, slowly opening his eyes to the morning sun, beating down on him. He hadn't exactly got a lot of sleep the previous night…maybe he was just too tense to relax at all. The beams of light bore down on him like fireballs, as he slowly clambered out of the sheets, and into his boxer shorts. What was it in that song that had changed his mind over the entire situation? Was it such a good idea to call Mai after all? His head hurt just thinking about it.  
  
"Damn Radio," he thought, "What the hell was I thinking like that for?"  
  
Half walking-half stumbling his way down the staircase, he noticed that the music was still playing, but only very quietly now…he must have turned it down during the night.  
  
"Hhmmph! Why the hell didn't I just turn it off?"  
  
Yet almost instinctively, he turned up the volume, and made himself some breakfast, splashing the ice-cold milk over his cornflakes. Sitting down to the table, he noticed the strange music again:  
  
1 If you ever heard the words "I just don't care"  
  
Baby please forgive the foolish heart  
  
That told you that  
  
When the road got rough, I started doubting myself  
  
Still I can't believe that life's worth living  
  
With anybody else  
  
"SHADDUP!" Joey yelled at the radio, his voice almost pleading with it…but deep inside he knew he was helpless to resist the waves of emotion lapping over him…again. He sat back in his chair and dropped his hands onto the table. His head was slumped downwards…he couldn't think of anything else but Mai…  
  
2 So why do we say Goodbye?  
  
When we know we'll only cry  
  
We're gonna be lonely  
  
And why do we fool ourselves?  
  
Saying there'll be someone else  
  
For me there's you only  
  
Joey rose his head again…was he going insane? This whole Mai business was driving him up the wall…sometimes he would just mope around and do nothing, but as soon as he heard the radio he began to think rationally, like there was some other side of him… a side that revealed a caring and emotional young man beneath that tough façade he wore. He hadn't felt this way about anyone before.  
  
3 All we need to make it right, is precious time  
  
But it's funny, such a simple thing's so hard to find  
  
Don't know where we started living separate lives  
  
But I know it's still worth fighting for, I see it in your eyes  
  
BRRRIINNNGGGG…BRRRRRRRRIIINNNGGGGG….  
  
Joey leapt to his feet.  
  
"The Phone!" he cried ecstatically, jumping out of his chair. He quickly slapped himself hard on the cheek for getting so exciting over such a small thing  
  
"Dammit why can't I just keep calm half the time?" he grunted, hesitantly scrambling over to the wall-mounted receiver. Trembling, he lifted the phone off of the hook…  
  
"Hi Mai is that you?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Mai!" he cried frustratingly, "I know you're there Mai!"  
  
Joey heard a strange whimper, and then the line went dead.  
  
4 So why do we say Goodbye?  
  
When we know we'll only cry  
  
We're gonna be lonely  
  
And why do we fool ourselves?  
  
Saying there'll be someone else  
  
For me there's you only  
  
(we're gonna be lonely)  
  
  
  
Heh Heh…no it hasn't ended just yet, so watch out for chapter 5 pretty soon, and for any of you who noticed the song towards the end, yeah it did come from the first chapter, but I thought it seemed really appropriate for the scene…so R&R as normal, and maybe add some little plot ideas of your own if you want to! Any requests for names to be mentioned in the next chapter are welcome, and I might think about writing a Lemon for the next chapter too…so just tell me what you think, as always 


	5. Strange Consolation

Chapter 5…Sorry to keep you guys waiting but I've been pretty busy lately! Anyway here's the rest of this story, though I still obviously haven't finished it! As usual I don't own YuGiOh, or any of its characters…blah blah blah, I'll just get on with it!  
  
  
  
"Mr Motou!" yelled Tristan as he opened the door of the turtle game shop. Stepping inside, he saw the usual neat array of cards, stocked in cabinets under the counter, and various decks piled on shelves surrounding the inner walls of the shop. The counter itself was shining brightly, reflecting the early afternoon sun into his eyes.  
  
"I don't think he's in…" answered Yugi, as he entered the store, hand-in- hand with Téa. Eyeing the place warily, he noticed a white slip of paper lying on the counter.  
  
"Hey what's that?" asked Téa, pointing at the note. Steadily, she walked towards the till and picked up the scrappy piece of paper, holding it in front of her face.  
  
"What does it say Téa?" asked Yugi, bewildered. Why was the door open if there was nobody here? Something was wrong, he thought…Grandpa should be here…it wasn't like him to just leave the shop unattended. Something had to be wrong, he could sense it.  
  
Tristan eyed the paper over, as Téa began to read:  
  
  
  
"Dear Yugi,  
  
I've had to visit a dear friend of mine in Tokyo, so I won't be back until about nightfall. I hope I can count on you to look after the shop while I'm out, I'll only be gone a while.  
  
Sugoruko  
  
PS: Where were you yesterday night? I phoned around but no one I asked knew where you were, and it seems like you just disappeared for a while!"  
  
  
  
"So that's why you took us here!" Yugi said, leaning on the counter in front of Téa, setting his eyes on Tristan, "You knew that Grampa was out, so you brought us here to look out for the place while he was gone"  
  
"Yeah…but that's not the only reason," Tristan replied cunningly, obviously quite pleased that he had fooled them into coming back, "I needed to talk to you guys about how Joey's been lately…"  
  
Settling down around the table towards the back of the shop, Tristan began to tell the pair how Joey's disastrous night out with Mai had gone. Yugi seemed to be nodding his head throughout, while Téa proceeded to wander around the aisles aimlessly.  
  
"But that still doesn't explain why Joey would want to hurt Téa" Yugi added finally, "I can understand why he'd be mad at himself, and even Mai maybe…but why Téa?"  
  
"I guess Téa just got caught in the firing line" Tristan added meekly. Even he had his doubts over Joey's faithfulness to Mai…that incident a few nights ago had really put a different spin on their relationship. Well, according to Joey it had…  
  
"I'm gonna have to sort this out," Tristan concluded, "I don't think Joey can pull through this on his own…"  
  
"Where have we heard that before?" Téa smirked, and Yugi's face turned a pale red colour. But then again, maybe Tristan would have better luck than they had…he was closer to Joey than she or Yugi were. And as best friends nothing would stand in Tristan's way of helping Joey, everyone knew that.  
  
"Well I'll leave you guys in charge of the shop then" Tristan pointed out, starting for the door.  
  
"Yeah you're right, nothing we can do for Joey anymore" Yugi agreed, "And besides, he'd hate us to baby him…"  
  
Tristan cringed slightly, and left the store, closing the door behind him. Almost immediately, Yugi slouched back defeatedly into his chair…his face now solemn and depressed. Then again, how was he supposed to feel? He half- knew what was wrong with Joey the entire time, and now it had been confirmed, he felt even worse that he hadn't been able to help out at all. Of course Téa noticed the depressing aura surrounding Yugi as she walked briskly towards him.  
  
"Err Yugi…is something wrong?" she asked politely. Yugi simply nodded his head again, his golden bangs drooping slightly over his eyes. He quickly brushed them away, revealing his sad and longing gaze. Téa felt her heart drop as she realised that the reply wasn't going to be a simple one…  
  
"I…I couldn't do anything for him…I was useless, even though I knew what was wrong with him," he stuttered, bowing his head, allowing the tears to flow freely down his face.  
  
This was so much like Yugi, Téa thought to herself. He was always so worried about the people around him… some people thought of it as a weakness, and it wasn't his fault that Joey hadn't wanted to talk about it. At least she knew how much it hurt to let someone you really care about drift away from you. Maybe Yugi didn't realise that the people around him felt the same way, and that this wasn't just a one-way relationship…perhaps that's how Joey had seen his relationship with Mai. She smirked as she realised how much the two were alike, despite their appearances. But the task at hand had separated them more than anything before…and maybe she could pick up the pieces.  
  
"Yugi it isn't your fault," she replied tenderly, wrapping her arms around him, "No-one means for these things to happen."  
  
The phrase seemed to have the desired effect…Yugi was trying to hold back his tears, she could sense it, but now she was getting somewhere. He stood upright and hugged her back.  
  
"Thanks Téa…I don't know where I'd be without you."  
  
Téa rested her head on Yugi's shoulder, a cold sensation tingling all over her body… but she was going to get Yugi back on track, and nothing was going to stop her.  
  
"We'll pull through this together Yugi"  
  
Then something peculiar happened…the entire world appeared to disappear around them. Holding Yugi tightly, Téa whirled around to see the room surrounding them fade away into the distance.  
  
"What's happening Yugi?" she asked frantically. Yugi just smiled sweetly and rested his gaze on hers.  
  
"I'm taking us somewhere where we can be alone for a while," he answered, moving his hands down to her hips. Her back began to tingle again, but this time she felt a warm sensation all over her body…her hands rested on Yugi's, acknowledging his presence, and nuzzled her face into his.  
  
This was right, Yugi thought, his millennium puzzle glowing brightly. She wanted him all along, despite his emotional façade… watching the world fade into the darkness; he felt truly needed for the first time, as they approached the scene he had created for them in his mind.  
  
The floor shimmered in a deep violet colour, illuminated by the brilliant white lights suspended above it. The entwined figures cast a long shadow over it, as they arrived in the centre of the dancefloor. Téa curiously peeked her head out from Yugi's chest, admiring the glistening floor, shining into her eyes like sapphire. Slowly, Yugi began to let go of her, standing no more than a metre away from her. Suddenly, he rose his right hand in the air and clicked his fingers together, and a soft bass line appeared to eminate from all around them.  
  
Téa stood, totally spellbound, by the light music surrounding them. Her face was a picture of confusion and serenity, as Yugi held out his hand to her.  
  
"C'mon, this won't last forever!" he said, almost rolling the words off of his tongue, and grinning widely. Téa returned the grin with a smile of her own, and leaned her hand into his. Gently swaying, they began to move in time to the music, dancing hand in hand, never letting each other out of their deep and caring gazes.  
  
  
  
  
  
1 I can't believe you're here with me  
  
And now it seems my world's complete  
  
And I never want this moment to end  
  
I close my eyes and still I see  
  
1.1 My dreams become reality  
  
And now I know  
  
How it feels  
  
To be loved  
  
  
  
I prayed so many nights for you to come my way  
  
An angel from above to light my darkest day  
  
I think it's time  
  
For you to heed these lines  
  
'Cause there's something I wanna say  
  
  
  
Finally found what I've been looking for  
  
And now you know I'm gonna love you more  
  
Hold me tight, 'cause it's always been you  
  
To think that you were always there  
  
Being my friend, and wiping away my tears  
  
Now it's clear that it's always been you  
  
  
  
Sometimes you don't expect that friends  
  
Can become lovers in the end  
  
Only God knows what the future will bring  
  
So hold me close and don't let go  
  
'Cause this is love boy, don't you know?  
  
And we're gonna be  
  
Together for  
  
Eternity  
  
  
  
I prayed so many nights for you to come my way  
  
An angel from above to light my darkest day  
  
Love so strong  
  
It can't be wrong  
  
It's with you that I belong  
  
  
  
Finally found what I've been looking for  
  
And now you know I'm gonna love you more  
  
Hold me tight, 'cause it's always been you  
  
To think that you were always there  
  
Being my friend, and wiping away my tears  
  
Now it's clear that it's always been you  
  
  
  
(This Time) This Time  
  
I'm gonna make sure it turns out alright  
  
I wanna be  
  
Your everything  
  
By your side  
  
For the rest of my life  
  
(This Love) This love  
  
Feels the way that love should be  
  
Look in my eyes  
  
And realise  
  
There's no disguise  
  
'Cause I'm in love with you  
  
  
  
Finally found what I've been looking for  
  
And now you know I'm gonna love you more  
  
Hold me tight, 'cause it's always been you  
  
To think that you were always there  
  
Being my friend, and wiping away my tears  
  
Now it's clear that it's always been you  
  
  
  
As the music started to fade, the couple began to notice the daylight surrounding them again. Holding each other tightly, they stared at each other happily.  
  
"Well…I hope that was as good for you as it was for me," Yugi broke in a whisper. He didn't get a response…Téa was hung over him, her lips parted over his in a fierce and passionate kiss. Losing herself in him, Téa couldn't have been happier, her head glazed over in a rush of adrenaline that had overcome her. Ah forget anyone else, Yugi's the only one I want, she thought. No one had ever treated her this way…affectionate hugs anywhere they could find, laughing hysterically out and about…and finally dancing under the cover of darkness, with only the flame of each other's passion lighting the world around them. This wasn't just some lust for one another…this was something more…an empathy with each other defying the very bounds of temptation and limit of emotion.  
  
Releasing her eternal hold over him, she cocked back her head and stood back up, realising that they were back in the store. Yugi gazed up at her, his eyes slightly closed, as if in a trance. She giggled at his apparent reaction, but it didn't last long.  
  
"Well I guess that was OK…." Yugi replied in a monotone. He couldn't keep a straight face…suddenly he burst out in a fit of laughter.  
  
2 "That's it? Just OK! Yugi I'm gonna kill you!" Téa yelled, also laughing. She quickly dived at Yugi, but he dodged out of the way, and she rammed right into a case of Cards. Yugi sped off to another side of the store, before realising that Téa wasn't following him. He peered around the corner to see her lying on the floor, clutching her leg.  
  
3 "Téa…are you OK?" he enquired, sounding concerned, as he began to walk over to her. 4 "It's my leg," she answered painfully. Yugi rushed over top where she was slumped against the cabinet, and leaned over her, with a very remorseful look plastered all over his face. She looked like she was in some distress, so he leaned over her a little closer to see the extent of the damage. 5 "Hey I'm sorry I didn't want this to…"  
  
6 "Ha gotcha!" she yelled, kicking her leg out at his, causing him to tumble over, hitting his head on the cabinet, and landing on top of her. Initially, Yugi clutched at his head, but again laughed hysterically at how stupid he'd been, and so did Téa for a while…until they realised the awkward position they were in.  
  
7 Yugi stopped laughing, and lightly brushed the strands of brown hair over Téa's face to one side, kissing her gently on the forehead. She giggled again at his reaction, before looking deep into his eyes and realising there was so much more to it…  
  
8 "Uh Téa…can I ask you something?"  
  
9  
  
10 HAHAHA! Guess that created a bit of suspense for y'all, but I still didn't get any replies on whether or not any of you wanted me to write a lemon for this chapter…so I kind of extended the storyline a little… anyway I hope you liked it. I spent most of this afternoon thinking this up, and I'd like to know what you ppl out there think as always ( so keep writing those reviews…and more importantly whether or not you want to see a Yugi/Téa lemon next chapter! 


	6. Make or Break for Love

Joey gazed up at the midday sun, as he made his way down the road towards Mai's house. Hell, if she wasn't going to call him back, he was going over there to sort things out anyway. Taking large steps, he walked determinedly past the turtle game shop, not noticing the event taking place inside…  
  
"I can't speak to Yugi now…" he muttered under his breath, "Even he wouldn't forgive me for how things went last night…but I promised him I'd sort things out…"  
  
He stood a few yards from the doorway of the store for a while, wondering whether it was best for him to sort out things with Yugi first. At least then he'd have somebody else backing him up to get back Mai… but it wasn't long 'til his thoughts were interrupted:  
  
"Hey…Joey…where have you been?"  
  
"Tristan?" Joey shouted, turning to face the man behind him. It was Tristan! But why did he want to see him so badly?  
  
"Err…at Bakura's…" he replied blankly. Tristan frowned at him and studied his face…he knew when Joey was lying; he never blinked…  
  
"Yeah right, gimme a break, I'm not stupid enough to believe that!" Tristan shouted, insulted. "How the hell could you do that to Téa?"  
  
"I…I…I couldn't tell…I thought she was ok with it…" Joey replied, shocked by the directness of Tristan's question. "Wha…what did Yugi tell you?"  
  
"Oh, only that he thought you were trying to ASSAULT her!" Tristan shouted back  
  
"Huh? But…I didn't wanna hurt her, I swear…you believe me, right?" Joey pleaded in response. Did Yugi genuinely think that he would do something like that to Téa? Then again, even he didn't know what he was capable of…seeing Téa dressed up in an evening gown was enough to send any man into a spin, and especially a guy on the rebound.  
  
"Well yeah…but it's not like Yugi to just go about saying stuff like that, and you can't just take this thing with Mai out on your friends," Tristan answered calmly, "Especially not Yugi…"  
  
"Guess you're right," Joey gazed back at him, and then up to the dawning sun around them. Dusk.  
  
"So what are you gonna do about it?" Tristan asked, matter-of-factly, pouting. His hand wavered towards the shop. Joey turned to face the door.  
  
"Ok, 'spose it's the least I can do to apologise," Joey answered gently, staring at the windows of the store. Strange, he couldn't see very much through them. He shook his head violently, cursing at himself for letting his mind drift onto other things like that, as he made his way towards the card shop. He stopped abruptly in the doorway, stared down at the ground, and sighed.  
  
Tristan whirled around to see what Joey was doing…  
  
"What's up Joe?"  
  
"Nothin'. I just dunno whether I can face up to Yuug after what I've done," Joey replied. He thought he heard someone shout something from inside, but dismissed it almost immediately. The feeling of guilt had ripped a huge hole in his confidence, and his relationship with Mai was only going from bad to worse. But something had to be done…he KNEW something had to be done if he was ever going to get his friends back. Taking a deep breath, he swung open the shop door…  
  
  
  
Yugi was still sprawled out over Tea, trying to find the right words to describe how he felt…and what he wanted from her.  
  
"C'mon Yugi, what did you want to tell me?" she asked, gazing wistfully into his amethyst eyes. He stuttered a little, almost crumbling apart at the same time. How could he tell her that he wanted more than this…more than their sweet adoration…the sensation of their warm bodies sliding against one another thrilled him…but could he pluck up the courage to ask her?  
  
"Err…well…I dunno!" he shouted, grabbing her head and burying his lips into hers in a fierce kiss. Tea began to muffle something at first, but then closed her eyes and let her instincts take over. Yugi pulled away from her again, and almost immediately threw himself back down into her. His hands fumbled wildly through her hair as he tried to pull her closer into him, their bodies rubbing each other slightly as they clung to one another tightly. Tea allowed her hands to wander along Yugi's waist until she delved them under his shirt, and began to rub his chest, making little circles on his stomach. He giggled almost evilly and proceeded to tongue- fight her between their mouths. Man he was enjoying this! The slender touch of Tea's fingers over his delicate chest were almost heaven-sent, feeling the surge of electricity jolt through his body at every stroke. His entire figure almost leapt forward as she began to tweak his rosy nipples from under his shirt…damn she felt so smooth against him, her entire body almost a wave of passion uplifting him through the boundaries of feeling.  
  
Seeing how much this was turning him on, Tea laughed a little, and took Yugi's hand. She laid it on her left breast and indicated him to rub it with a coy smile. She moaned almost inaudibly as he began to unzip the top of her sparkling black gown and slide his hand over her bra. She began to circle her fingers around his stomach far more violently, inciting him to be more rough with her…and take her all the way. Gazing down at her, Yugi winked seductively and pried her bra straps apart, throwing them across the hallway. She groaned loudly as she felt his tongue wander over her erect nipples, her entire frame bucking upwards towards him. Catching her with his arms, Yugi began to wander further across to her other breast, making sure he didn't miss an inch of her soft flesh with his tongue, biting playfully on each nipple. His hands slid under her thighs, stretching the elastic waist of her gown, and tearing at her lace panties. He gently caressed the outer rim of her rosebud with his tongue, causing her to yell out his name at the top of her voice, and shoving his head downwards with both hands, panting excitedly. Her entire body was elevated to a state of perfect bliss as she bucked up into his face again, this time her hands sliding off his blue, coarse jacket. He grunted slightly as he began to delve his tongue deeper into her, making her scream out his name again…and then he saw the door swing open from behind them.  
  
"Guess he's just go…YUGI!!!!!!" the figure yelled, standing in the porch.  
  
"JOEY!" Yugi shouted back just as loudly, pulling his head out from Tea's blouse and dragging his jacket back on, "What in the name of Ra are you doing here!"  
  
"What am I doing here?" Joey contradicted, pointing at Tea's embarrassed form as she turned away from him, quickly zipping up the top of her gown, "IT DON'T MATTER WHAT THE HELL I'M DOIN' HERE, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?"  
  
Tristan stepped into the porch, wondering what all the fuss was about. He smiled, with an 'I'm gonna blackmail you for this' sort of look when he noticed Yugi scrambling over to Tea's bra and passing it over to her.  
  
"Oh you don't know Joey, well let me illustrate a little…" he cringed jokingly. Both Tea and Yugi laughed nervously as they sat down by one another on the floor. Why couldn't they ever get a break?  
  
Well I sure hope you liked that chapter…I sure did! Sorry it took a while, but End-of-Year exams are the bane of every Year 10s life, so I've been really busy. Anyway, I will carry on with this…it isn't the end ya know!  
  
Yugi Muuto 


	7. End of the Road?

Chapter 7, only compiled from your demand…I'm kinda finding it difficult to finish this story. I already have the last chapter planned, but it's building up the events leading up to it that's holding me back…I hope this chapter pulls those strings together!  
  
Special shout goes to Starflower aka Mizuriu for all the reviews she's given me throughout my writing on this site…hope your fic gets the recognition it deserves! ^^  
  
The song towards the middle of the chapter is taken from 'End of the Road' by Boyz II Men, but I've had to change the lyrics slightly…enjoy  
  
  
  
"Well Joey, when a man and a woman love each other very much…."  
  
"Fuck off Tristan, I know what's going on," he yelled, glaring down at the sight of Yugi and Téa leaning against each other, back to back, in the middle of the store. He couldn't believe that he'd caught them at it, and right in the doorway as well, but why the hell was he getting so worked up about it? He should be happy that Yugi and Téa were finally 'making out'…it was something he'd wish for all of his friends to go through…but at the same time he felt something odd inside his chest. His heart was breaking. Why, he didn't know, but just seeing them there made him sink into a void of deep depression…  
  
"I'm not stupid," he shouted, almost dejectedly, "I know what's happening here…you guys just don't understand what I'm going through…none of ya do!"  
  
Yugi clambered from the floor, and raised his hand to Joey's shoulder.  
  
"So why don't you try and tell us, Joey?" he pleaded, "That's what we've been trying to find out all this time!" Joey simply turned his head away at the sight of Yugi's worried gaze. This was the last thing he wanted…Yugi trying to win him over with some half-hearted sympathy. He didn't care really, he thought. This was just some kind of plot to get him off their back for a while…and he wasn't going to fall for it. He coldly swept Yugi's hand away from his shoulder, staring angrily at him.  
  
"I wouldn't expect ya to understand Yuug…you've got everything you want here," he shouted, pointing at Téa sharply, and twisting his head away from her. She stared quizfully at Joey, before glancing back at Yugi, smiling anxiously. He smiled back at her with a 'What-the-hell-do-you-want-me-to- say?' kind of look. Joey returned his gaze to Téa's face…and felt his heart drop as he saw the look she was giving Yugi.  
  
"This is doing me head in! I can't cope wit dis anymore!" he muttered loudly, dashing for the door. The door flew open, and then closed just as quickly, as the three watched their blonde-haired friend disappear past the houses.  
  
"This is bad," Tristan said, rushing to the door, "We gotta do something, come on!"  
  
"Right!" the pair answered, following Tristan out the door and onto the dusty streets of Domino City .The soft air was fresh, but cold. The hot tarmac burned their feet with every passing stride they took, rushing frantically into the murky sunset enclosing around the city. Night.  
  
Tristan was almost a mile away, or so Yugi thought. He could just make out the fuzzy form of Tristan's hair through the twilight sun, shimmering delicately into his eyes. Unless he thought up something fast, he was going to lose him, as well as Joey. He ground to halt, panting heavily as he watched Tristan disappear over the horizon. He was in no mood for a chase, especially after…  
  
"Yugi, what's up?" Téa shouted, also slowing to almost walking pace, and stopping just a metre behind Yugi. He twirled to meet her perplexed daze, before staring back down at the ground.  
  
"No point trying to keep up with them now," he sighed gloomily, "I guess we'd just better freshen up…anyway I think I know where Joey's headed…"  
  
"Mai's" Téa responded, conclusively, "How about I meet you back outside the shop in an hour, and we'll pop over there to see what's going on?"  
  
Yugi lifted his head and kissed her forehead lightly. "OK, see you in about an hour then, I just hope that by then we'll be able to finally get this whole thing out of our minds…"  
  
She returned his kiss with a warm hug, acknowledging the pain Yugi was going through, by watching on of their friends beat himself up over this stupid argument. Neither of them suspected any more to it than that, embracing each other tightly before going their separate ways. Whatever was eating Joey couldn't just be Mai, could it? Maybe there was more to it than that…  
  
  
  
By now Joey was getting a little tired, and soon decided to take a rest. His entire body was aching from the escapade, and his mind was still in a spin. Deciding to sit down wasn't such a good idea though, because he knew that if he waited any longer Tristan would eventually catch up with him…he'd seen him following him a while back. He didn't even know where he was going in the first place, so now seemed an even worse time to stop.  
  
"Man what is wrong with me taday?" he asked himself, "I just don't undastand it…"  
  
He picked himself back up, and continued to jog back home, probably the best place to be after a stunt like that.  
  
"A least there I'll have some time ta think it ova," he sighed, "I'll come back to Mai's later." Reaching the doorstep of his house, he noticed a note on the inside of the porch:  
  
"Sorry I couldn't stay any longer, I guess you were just out for a while. But if you were even slightly  
  
concerned about me you'd always be there for me…You just don't seem to care anymore Joe, and I don't know if I can forgive you. Sorry just isn't enough anymore…see ya around, Mai…DAMMIT!!"  
  
Joey screwed up the note and tore it up viciously, before he furiously punched at the door.  
  
"Why can't I be there, just once? Just to help someone who cares 'bout me…WHY" he yelled at himself between sobs…his entire frame was racked with guilt as he slid down against the door.  
  
"She'll never know how much I care…"  
  
  
  
[We belong Together  
  
And you know that I'm right  
  
Why do you play with my heart?  
  
Why do you…play with my mind?  
  
Said we'd be together  
  
Said never die  
  
How could you love me and leave me and never…say goodbye?]  
  
  
  
Joey shakily slid the key into the door before slumping through into the hallway. His fingers were shaking as he clambered up the staircase, back up into his room. Surveying the pictures of him and Mai together he had put on the walls, his mind wandered back to the previous night…and if he'd really made any difference at all by phoning her…  
  
  
  
[When I phoned you last night without holding you tight  
  
Girl this time I'll try not to break down and cry  
  
Baby my love is left firm in your hands  
  
Feeling the doom of the impending road]  
  
  
  
Slouching over onto the bed, he stared up at the ceiling, gazing at the pictures he'd taken of the two of them together  
  
"How could I say that to you…and how can you do this to me?"  
  
  
  
[Although we've come  
  
To the end of the road  
  
Still I can't let go  
  
It's so natural  
  
You belong to me  
  
I belong to you]  
  
  
  
Joey's eyes focused on one particular photo, blurred by the clouds of tears in his eyes. It was a photo-booth picture. Joey was laughing maniacally at the camera, and Mai was cringing ridiculously next to him…they both looked very, very stupid, but it held a lot of sentimental value to Joey.  
  
"Guess she's never been in this kinda position before," he smiled weakly, " When she can't say how she's feelin'. She's usually real forward 'bout everythink…"  
  
  
  
[Girl I know you really love me  
  
You just don't realise  
  
You've never been here before  
  
And it's only…your first time]  
  
  
  
His eyes swung from the ceiling to the window. He could see the moon rising in the sky, as he spread out on the bed…hope. Hope of a new day soon. But through it all, he wondered if she could take him back…she was strong, after all. Joey was the kind of guy who'd easily get angry, and she knew that better than anyone.  
  
  
  
[Maybe you'll forgive me  
  
Baby next time I'll try  
  
We should be happy together  
  
Forever…you and I]  
  
  
  
"I have to do summat," he said purposefully, climbing to his feet. Grabbing an anti-perspirant he feverishly sprayed it all over himself, being careful not to miss an inch. He ran into the bathroom and fumbled for some hair gel, eventually found it, and began spiking his hair up.  
  
"I'm gonna get her back…fuck everything I've said before, this time it's the real deal."  
  
  
  
[Will you love me again like you loved me before?  
  
This time I want you to know me much more  
  
This time your touch  
  
Won't go to my head  
  
Baby just don't let me, don't let me go]  
  
  
  
Rushing down the stairs, he swiped a roll from the bread bin and slung his green jacket over his shoulder. Locking the door behind him, he chased back down the road, oblivious to Tristan yelling at him from a few yards away. He was a man on a mission (oops! That sounded reeeeeaaaal corny!)  
  
"I'm goin' Tristan, and there's not a thing you can say or do that'll stop me"  
  
  
  
[Although we've come  
  
To the end of the road  
  
Still I can't let go  
  
It's so natural  
  
You belong to me  
  
I belong to you]  
  
HAHAHA!!! Well I've decided that there'll be two more chapters to end this fic…I should have chapter 8 up by next week, but don't hold me to it! God knows when it'll be completed though…I just hope that you're all still following this, cause I sacrificed a lot of revision time to get this done  
  
R&R as normal  
  
~Yugi Muuto~ 


	8. Go back!

---- go bach for the new chapter 7.Oops! Doesn't look like a story is put to the top of the list if you replace the chapters instead of adding new ones…so I'm only writing this so that those of you who were looking forward to chapter 7 knew that I'd written it! Next time I'll add chapter 8 as a new chapter, and not over this…hope ya liked the Joey encounter!  
  
R&R like always  
  
~Yugi Muuto~ 


	9. Confessions of Love

I'm back!!!!! I told you I'd have it done by the end of this week!  
  
  
  
  
  
The cold night air made Yugi shiver and cough gently…the scene appeared very similar. He was standing outside the Turtle Game Shop again, waiting for a certain brunette to arrive. His mind wandered to the last time he was in this situation, and remembered daydreaming about his sweet angel in her sleek evening gown…and then quickly shook his head.  
  
"I can't think like that…gotta get it out of my head," he groaned hoarsely, "Joey's out there on his own, and I can't afford to let him down again."  
  
Clasping his casual blue jacket closer to him, he shuddered briefly as a cold wind blew in. His chest was still heaving from chasing Joey earlier.  
  
"Maybe I should go back in and put something warmer on…" he thought, turning his head to the shop door, and then back towards the road. His eyes glanced over the moonlit street, smiling innocently at the reflections in the windows of the houses.  
  
"Come on out Joey, we need to talk"  
  
THUD  
  
"No Yugi, I need to deal with this on my own"  
  
Yugi's eyes closed tightly as he remembered the previous night, shivering even more against the shrill night air encircling him. Even though he'd tried to break down the door, Joey really wasn't phased at all…did he even realise how much he cared? Even Tristan wasn't that headstrong…he must have known by now.  
  
"Hey! Yugi!"  
  
Yugi spun around instinctively to see Téa hovering over him, eyeing him curiously, "What ya doin'?"  
  
She was dressed in a familiar outfit: A pair of red Lycra shorts hugging tightly to her waist, and a yellow crop-top with the word 'Spirit' plastered over it. Even though it was hardly the dress she had worn earlier, it had always been Yugi's favourite. The bold letters symbolised everything she meant to him…she was his very soul, almost his reason for living.  
  
"Oh nothing," he answered, raising his eyes to hers. She didn't seem to be entirely convinced by this, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a comforting manner. She almost relented when she felt his ice-cold skin, but only hugged him tighter because of it.  
  
Yugi mumbled something silently as his face brushed against Téa's strapping curves. His mind quickly returned to the events in the shop and began giggling mindlessly to himself. Her warm touch was so inviting. Gazing wondrously into her deep brown eyes, he wondered if they would ever get the chance to 'do it' properly…but now wasn't the time.  
  
"Well we'd better get going," he sighed gently. Téa looked back at him and nodded, almost a tinge of disappointment in her eyes.  
  
"OK Yugi, Let's go," she replied softly, ruffling his hair playfully. He laughed childishly, frantically lunging at her hands above him. Eventually, she pulled away from him and clutched his hands in hers.  
  
Yugi put on a sneery-pompous style voice, linking their arms together.  
  
"Where to, ma'am"  
  
Téa burst out laughing, slapping her thighs with her free hand, before returning the pompous attitude.  
  
"To Master Joey's, Jeeves,"  
  
The two began to stagger down the street, arm in arm and laughing hysterically at one another, towards Joey's house…innocent to the event to come.  
  
  
  
  
  
"MAI! OPEN UP MAI! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!"  
  
Joey was pounding angrily on Mai's door, where he'd spent the last 20 minutes waiting for a reply to the doorbell. Where was she? She didn't say she was going out anywhere lately, and there was nowhere else he thought she could be. She was always there for him when he needed her…  
  
He gasped, quickly remembering the letter he had found in the porch of his house:  
  
'If you were even slightly concerned about me you'd always be there…'  
  
Joey's head began to whirl. His mood began to change from furious to calm. He collapsed against the door, deep in thought…so THIS was why she hadn't forgiven him. Maybe she'd only seen the relationship as one-way…she was always there for him, a partner in love and friendship…but he was always off with Tristan, Yugi, Téa or even Bakura! When they had first met she was a wandering spirit…a lost soul in need of another to share her feelings…but that incident a few days ago must have been the last straw. Maybe it had hurt her to see him out with everyone else, and leaving her alone so often.  
  
"Why didn't I pay more attention to ya?" he wept, staring longingly at the rising moon. "Maybe Yugi's more of a man than I'll ever be…but I can't just let this slip away from me…"  
  
Suddenly he heard the handle turn. He spun around to see the sight of a very dishevelled and tired-looking Mai looking straight at him, wearing nothing but a bathrobe. His entire body seized up, feeling rigid all over…  
  
"Look…Mai…I…"  
  
"Joey…you shouldn't be here…" she said boldly, pursing her lips tightly together.  
  
"But I need to see you," he replied desperately, "I've been driving myself crazy over this whole thing…I can't live without you Mai…I mean it"  
  
He cupped her hands in his, staring remorsefully into her blue eyes, reflecting the pale light above them. She looked down at his hands, a faint smile appearing on her face…before abruptly turning it away again.  
  
"Joey…I know you mean it, but that night…you just broke me," she answered briefly, refusing to look back at him.  
  
"Whaddaya mean Mai?" Joey asked, "I'm sorry…but what do you mean"  
  
"I'm a proud woman Joey…I'm not just some object you can leave and come back to every 5 minutes," she relied coldly, removing her hands from his grasp.  
  
"But it ain't like that, I swear!" he pleaded, "Please Mai, just give me anudda chance" Tears began to form in the corner of his eyes…how could this be? She didn't love him anymore…no! She had to!  
  
"Joey…I want to…but it's not that easy anymore…" Her voice was serious now…her features were now set in a solemn and meaningful expression. This scared Joey, even though he was used to her usual threatening demeanour.  
  
"What are ya trying ta say Mai? We ain't good togeva no more?" he cried, "I thought we were stronger than that…you know we're good togetha, we make a great team…" He raised his hand again to brush her face delicately, though slightly smudging the heavy make-up she wore. She appeared to soften slightly, but quickly returned to her normal state after a few seconds.  
  
"Joey what I'm trying to say is that I can't handle this anymore…" Her hand began to slide down into the pocket of her gown. Joey thought he noticed her hand balling into a fist, or some kind of grip…  
  
"Mai what are you…"  
  
"Shut up" she yelled, whipping her hand from the gown, revealing what she was holding…  
  
"No, Mai please, you can't do this to me….I'll do anything, you just can't do this to me…" Joey pleaded, backing away from the doorway. Mai began to follow him out into the street, leaning over him menacingly, yet still obviously upset.  
  
"I CAN'T DO THIS TO YOU?!" she yelled, edging ever closer to him, waving the barrel of the gun in front of his face. "WHAT ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME? JOEY YOU BROKE MY HEART…DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THAT FEELS? NO I WOULDN'T EXPECT YOU DO, BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST SO PERFECT AND…"  
  
"YES I DO!!!" he yelled back at her, just as loudly. Her eyes began to lose their looming threat, as she slowly started to back down, clearly shocked. "I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL!"  
  
"But…HOW?" she hollered back at him, attempting to sound just as infuriated as before, although she obviously wasn't. But she was still mad at him for all he'd done…  
  
"I DO…BUT IT'S EVEN WORSE WHEN IT'S AMONGST THE PEOPLE YOU'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS!" he screamed, wiping away the tears streaming down his face. Mai could see where this was going, and every passing moment she was getting more and more outraged  
  
"Joey…not her," she responded, clenching her fists.  
  
"YES…I KNOW IT NOW…I'VE BEEN AFRAID TO ACCEPT IT FOR A LONG TIME…BUT I'M IN LOVE WITH Téa…AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN SAY OR DO TO MAKE ME CHANGE MY MIND!" he screeched, knowing that he'd landed the final nail in the coffin. His whole body began to quake in fear, admitting his feelings was a jolt to even himself. He'd wondered about her throughout his school life, but her recent adorations towards Yugi had confined him to countless sleepless nights...and all this time he'd thought they were over Mai…  
  
But Téa seemed to calm him down like no one else…he'd pined for her since the day they met, along with Yugi. When he met Mai it was more a case of lust…not true feelings. Maybe he really had meant all the stuff he had said to her in the diner…and he had been kidding himself the whole time…  
  
Mai was irate. She'd suspected this from the very beginning…and now her worst fears were realised. She thought Joey was different…but he was scum, like every other man on the planet…  
  
She flung himself at him, punching at him wildly as they struggled on the pavement. Joey desperately attempted to grab the gun from her hands, but she continued to swing at him wildly, clawing for an opening to shoot him where she felt hurt the most…the heart. They were both clutching the gun and fighting each other viciously in an attempt to swipe it from the other, when they heard a shriek of terror and a loud shout:  
  
"JOEY WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?" It was Yugi; Joey could know that voice from a mile away. He spun his head to see Yugi staring down at him from just a few yards away, and Téa shivering beside him. Sweet Téa…completely innocent to the world of pain and heartbreak surrounding her. Joey's clouded eyes rested on her beautiful figure, admiring her through his tears of confession…a Confession of Love. But she was more concerned with the gun seemingly bouncing between the couple's hands.  
  
Mai noticed Joey's sudden lapse of concentration, and seized the opportunity to kick him hard in the crotch. He squirmed under the pain, and curled into a ball beneath her. She quickly rose to her feet and stood aggravatedly above him, pointing the barrel towards his chest, clutching the trigger.  
  
"It would be so easy to just kill you now…" she muttered cruelly, before glancing over at Yugi…and then Téa, "But I can think of a far worse way of hurting you…"  
  
Joey noticed her gaze turning towards Téa, before yelling desperately.  
  
"No Mai, you can't!"  
  
"Joey what is she talking about?" Yugi asked, standing perplexed to the side of the incident. Joey groaned restlessly, while Mai grinned evilly.  
  
"You mean you didn't tell them Joey?" she laughed maliciously. Yugi's face looked completely void of understanding…until it finally clicked.  
  
"Joey…no…" he whimpered dejectedly, "Why does it have to be this way?"  
  
Joey simply turned his head away from him; he didn't want Yugi to see him crying to himself.  
  
"So I guess you just can't handle it," Mai smirked, pointing her gun straight at Téa, and grasping the trigger "Now at least you know how I feel…"  
  
Téa was rooted to the spot. Her entire body was too scared to move, even though her mind was telling her to run. She only stared up at Mai, her eyes beginning to water. She watched as Mai prepared to take aim at her.  
  
"Téa…" Joey whispered, his body strewn out across the pavement.  
  
"Téa NOOOOOOOO!!!!!"  
  
BANG  
  
Heh heh…sorry if the final part wasn't what you expected it to be…this story will cover another two chapters I think…I'm writing this at 11.45 pm my time, so I hope you appreciate my time!  
  
R&R…and this time I want to hear if you people like the songs I put in the fics, or if they'd be better without them!  
  
~Yugi Muuto~ 


	10. The Ultimate Sacrifice

Just a note to say thanks for all the great reviews I've been getting…and this chapter is dedicated to two very important people who have influenced the way I write, and encouraged me to go on, and for that I'm eternally grateful:  
  
Mel Meiko and Starflower aka Mizuriu  
  
  
  
  
  
Téa swung her head away as the gun was fired, clutching at her chest as the shrill symphony of death sounded. She squeezed her eyes shut, and clung tightly to her body…before realising that nothing had happened. Her eyes were already moist with her terrified tears, before she heard a loud groan, and the sound of someone falling to the floor. She slowly turned her head around…only to see a pair of dark amethyst eyes gazing up into hers from the pavement. She gasped suddenly.  
  
"Yugi NO!" she shrieked, cradling his limp body in her arms, noticing the dark velvety tinge of red smear across his blue jacket. His head was cocked back against her waist as he struggled to breathe, his body shuddering quietly as he fell into her embrace, moaning lightly to himself. Téa felt beneath his damp T-shirt, emerging with her hands covered in thick blood.  
  
"Yugi…I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry," she cried mournfully to herself, rocking his limp body back and forth in her arms, holding him tightly. Yugi's eyes began to flutter, before opening fully…she could see the sense of terror in his eyes, his azure eyes darkening significantly as he attempted to utter something  
  
"Téa…I" he stalled before coughing loudly, "It…it hurts so much…."  
  
"I know Yugi…I love you, I love you I love you…don't let go…please!" she yelled, burying her head into his chest.  
  
[Look into my Eyes  
  
And you will see  
  
What you mean to me]  
  
Joey dusted himself up from the ground, and looked at Yugi's frail figure drooped in Téa's arms.  
  
"Yugi…" he sighed remorsefully, before staring back at Mai, fire in his eyes.  
  
"WHY MAI? WHY TAKE YUGI? HE'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS? HOW COULD YOU?"  
  
Mai began to back away, never letting Joey out of her sight, her face an expression of deep regret  
  
"He…he must've jumped in the way…I didn't see it," she uttered, choking back tears.  
  
"I DON'T CARE! YUGI'S DONE NOTHING WRONG! WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE ME INSTEAD?!" Joey blurted out in a fury of rage, his face burning red. Yugi turned his head slightly to see him standing in front of Mai, arms outstretched…before he yelped loudly and retreated to the safety of Téa's warm arms. She could see the façade of pain on his face as he squirmed closer to her, closing his eyes again…before a familiar dark aura began to eminate from around them. Joey and Mai seemed to fade away as the shadow realm surrounded them, pulling them away from the outside world…before everything was quiet.  
  
"Yugi…I'm so sorry for what I've done to you…"  
  
[Look into my soul  
  
And you will find  
  
A peaceful state of mind]  
  
"No Téa…it's not your fault…it's nobody's fault" Yugi said, breathing heavily. He looked away from her…he couldn't let her see him cry, not after he'd done this for her. Téa peered over at him, realising almost immediately what he was trying to do…  
  
"It's OK Yugi, you're going to be fine…just hold on…" she said encouragingly, "You're going to make it…"  
  
But Yugi simply peered deep into her eyes and sighed, crying softly to himself as the blood continued to flow from his frame…  
  
"I wish I could believe you Anzu-chan…I really wish I could…"  
  
[Don't tell me 'It's not worth fighting for'  
  
You can't tell me 'It's not worth dying for"]  
  
"Yugi, why did you take the bullet for me?" Téa asked, her pale, turquoise eyes awash with salty tears. Yugi rose his head a little from her arms, barely managing to part his lips:  
  
"Because I love you Anzu-chan, you know that," he mumbled quietly, "How could I live in the knowledge of letting my heart be torn apart?"  
  
Téa gripped his hand firmly, despite its cold disposition, and shook her head frantically.  
  
"Can't you see Yugi?…you're doing the same thing to me…"  
  
[You know it's true  
  
Everything I do  
  
I do it for you]  
  
Yugi stared back down at his shirt, stained in the colour of his blood. His lips parted, as if to say something, before they closed again.  
  
"But you still have a chance Anzu…you deserve so much more than this…"  
  
"No Yugi, no-one deserves better than you…stop doing this to yourself…" Anzu shouted, allowing her graceful fingers to trail along Yugi's soft face, tracing every outline as she watched the intense closure of his eyes fade into a peaceful smile. She knew he was close now, as his features began to pale into a creamy white façade.  
  
"Gomen Nasai, Anzu-chan…" Yugi uttered, choking slightly. His hands frailly drooped around her neck as his body collapsed inside hers…  
  
"No Yugi, you're going to pull through this, you can't die," Anzu yelled, burying her head into his stomach. She could hear the faint beating of his heart as she wept against the blood flowing through her hands…  
  
"You can't…"  
  
…Before all was still.  
  
Téa's eyes rose to meet the serene glow of Yugi's eyes…as they closed for eternity. His friendly smile eroded into a melancholy sentiment of death.  
  
"I'll never forget you Yugi…"  
  
[Would you dance  
  
If I asked you to dance?  
  
Would you run  
  
And never look back?  
  
Would you cry  
  
If you saw me crying?  
  
And would you save my soul tonight]  
  
Téa gazed onwards as the shadow realm faded from around them, dying almost as Yugi had. She appeared back on the road, still clutching his body, her divine tears flowing freely onto the floor. Her hair fell across her face, the thin strands of auburn becoming entangled upon her moist cheeks. She thought she felt a hand brush them away, but upon looking up realised that it was the wind. She cupped her hands around her face, allowing Yugi's limp body to fall gently to the concrete below, and started to shout his name aloud again:  
  
"Yuuuugiiiiii!! Yuuuugiiiiii!!"  
  
[Would you tremble  
  
If I touched your lips?  
  
Would you laugh?  
  
Oh please tell me this:  
  
Now would you die  
  
For the one you love?  
  
Then hold me in your arms, tonight]  
  
Her head dropped as she shuddered against the cold night breeze…Anzu noticed that Joey and Mai were nowhere to be seen.  
  
The moon shone through the encompassing darkness that surrounded them, as Anzu picked up the frail figure of the young man beneath her again, carrying him back down the street towards her house…at least there she could protect him from everyone around…and never let him go…  
  
  
  
[Well I can be your hero, baby  
  
I can kiss away the pain  
  
And I will stand by you forever  
  
You can take my breath away]  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Like I said, it isn't over yet…just be patient…I only got back from Paris a few days ago, and I've been away for a while…sorry if you've been waiting a long time for this!  
  
~Yugi Muuto~ 


	11. Fatal Apologies

3 weeks passed.no one entirely got over Yugi's death. Group meetings were never the same without his vibrant smile. His attitude was something that they all missed the most.his warm-heartedness, kindliness and friendliness had left a gaping hole in their lifestyle that could never to be covered up with insincere "We'll get over it"s. But nobody took the problems as hard as Téa did. Sometimes she would just stop talking for no apparent reason, and walk off in the middle of a conversation. Things just didn't feel the same anymore.  
  
Yugi's funeral occurred on the Wednesday. It was a bitterly cold autumn afternoon when the congregation gathered outside the Domino Church. The event had been organised by Sugoruko, who had been hit by Yugi's death almost the hardest of all.so when he noticed that someone important had not turned up by the time the service began, he was incredibly upset. Nevertheless, the funeral proceeded to go on. Ryou, Joey, Tristan and even Seto were there, taking their seats in the pews.the number of people attending was minimal, but the intensity of emotions was enough to rival a hall-full. The priest solemnly approached the altar, preparing to read out his sermon. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the life and times of Yugi Mutoh, a very dear friend to us all. His warmth and ability to make even the most hard-heartedness of us all smile, allowed him to bring out the best in everyone, a trait that very few people can contemplate, much less perform. I now ask one of his close friends, Joey Wheeler, to approach the altar and tell us of his experiences of Yugi Mutoh."  
  
Joey was surprised. No one had asked him to prepare a piece for the service. In any case, he approached the altar with a confident stride and aura.yet it was still obviously merely for show.  
  
"Well.uh.what can I say about Yugi that we don't already know?" he asked nervously, bowing his head in respect, as he began his attempt to describe the young man that he once knew  
  
The cold breeze was just as chilly as the night 3 weeks ago, as a silent figure crept within walking distance of Domino High. The tree she stood under covered her entire body in a velvety curtain of black.as her silhouette was mirrored against the cold tarmac where her shadow lay. A single tear trickled down her cheek as she began to remember something close to her heart.  
  
[She takes the back road, and the lane  
  
Past the school that has not changed  
  
In all this time]  
  
She drove her head into her thick overcoat as the breeze snuck in again, blowing her skirt up from around her waist and sending cold shudders up her spine. The lonely tear fell to the ground, soaked into the wet dew beneath her feet, as she gazed longingly into the windows of the school building. They were so often the sight of a frantic duel monsters game, that usually ended in chaos. She smiled childishly as she reverted her attention back to the thought crossing her mind, before she sighed deeply.  
  
[She thinks of when they both were young  
  
All the battles they had won]  
  
Téa had never intended to attend the funeral.it would just bring back too many painful memories, she thought. She was already in a complete mess of emotions as it was, without bringing back more into the frame. More memories poured into her mind as the past came back to her once more, rendering her oblivious to the tumbling of leaves around her.she had tried not to think about him, but how could she forget?  
  
[Just to give him love  
  
That man, she loved that man  
  
For all this time]  
  
And then the most painful memory ran through her mind.  
  
"Gomen Nasai, Anzu-chan."  
  
"No Yugi you're going to pull through this, you can't die.you can't.."  
  
Shaking her head violently, she rushed away from the school, hiding her face in her coat again as a flurry of tears erupted from her glistening eyes. It was as if she was trying to run away from the past.and what could, no should, have been.  
  
[And now we need to take him flowers  
  
And only God knows why]  
  
Back at the church, things weren't going very well either. "Well.uh.Yugi was a really great little guy." Joey mumbled over the microphone. His hesitation was quite blatant now.it certainly wasn't like him to not be able to find the words describing how he felt. Joey had always been so forward, but now it seemed that he was slipping back again. He eyed Tristan hungrily, begging for him to come up with something to say, but after realising that he was lost in his own little world, returned to his current state of uneasiness. Ryou already had his head in his hands.he had no idea what had happened to Yugi that fateful night and it hurt him even more to think how he hadn't been there for him. He stared down at the floor, his eyes tracing along the pattern marks.  
  
[So what's the use in pressing palms  
  
When young men fade in lover's arms?]  
  
Nobody knew what had happened to Mai.the last person to see her was Joey, though he didn't let on as to how. Yet again he felt his mind wandering back to other events of the past:  
  
* Flashback *  
  
Joey was walking with his head down to the floor, concentrating feverently on the paving slabs. It had been 3 days since Yugi had died, and he was still in shock. The night he left him.he had tried to bring him back, but it was clear that he wasn't going to make it. Coincidentally Téa didn't seem to be moving at the same time.so, leaving Mai to her own devices, he had rushed off into her house to phone for an ambulance for the pair of them. From there he had chased off to find other help, phoning Tristan and, as the situation was desperate, Seto. He had forgotten Bakura's number, and later made a mental note to get it back off of him.  
  
As he dragged himself back into his house from his evening stroll, he noticed that someone was following a few yards behind him. Fearing the worst, he grabbed the knife he always kept in his pocket and swiftly turned around to meet the pursuer. Yet he dropped he knife when he saw who it was.  
  
"Mai?!" he asked, amazed, ".What are you still doing here?" She peered away from him, and appeared to make a nod of approval. Intrigued, Joey turned to the direction in which her eyes were facing.and saw a pair of police officers and a police car parked on the pavement a few metres away.  
  
"I just thought I'd come back to say goodbye.and sorry," she replied, putting on a brave (but obviously counterfeit) smile, and close to tears. Joey didn't know how to react.here she was, just days after KILLING his best friend., and turning up on his doorstep. His initial thought was to throttle her to death for what she'd done. And then he realised that she must have chosen to come here to make her final goodbye, and he discovered a warm feeling rising from the pit of his stomach.before it was instantly quashed and forgotten by the painful remembrance of his departed friend. All he could do was glare at her; his face set in a deep frown, with an eyebrow twitching as she approached him.  
  
"I'm so sorry."she whispered in his ear. Was she sincere? He was even more shocked by what was still to come.  
  
Remaining in his heartless expression, she kissed him lightly on the cheek, before disappearing into the back seat of the police car. Joey could only stare as he watched the vehicle round the corner of the street.and just as immediately as she had appeared.Mai was gone.  
  
Stepping back into his house, Joey slumped down into an armchair in the lounge, rubbing the lipstick mark on his cheek Mai had left. He was in two minds over the entire situation.but the one that burned most fiercely in his mind was. Betrayal  
  
* End Flashback *  
  
Joey released a deep sigh.what was she doing now? And more importantly, where was Téa?.  
  
Téa found herself running through a dense area of woodland, and she still had no idea where she was headed. She felt completely lost here, yet it had been a warm and secluded spot when she and Yugi had often visited after school sometimes.but now it felt cold and empty. The once colourful canopy above her head had become dull and lifeless, and the triangular entrance to their little forest hideout had seemingly caved in; whether it had been done purposely or not, she didn't know. But it seemed that Yugi had managed to bring the place alive somehow, and now that he was gone, so was the spirit of the secluded getaway.  
  
Sitting down on a curved rock jutting up from the ground, Téa began to mentally reminisce on exactly HOW he'd confessed his love for her.  
  
[It's a cruel world  
  
You've so much to lose]  
  
She imagined him sitting there, in the entrance to their hideout, still fiddling with his cuffs and stuttering inaudibly. It wasn't a gradual thing.he just suddenly blurted it out:  
  
"I LOVE YOU Téa" .Before running off back into the woodland. She giggled for a while, remembering how she could still see him trembling behind a tree, even though he had tried to get away.before sighing again.  
  
"He's gone.and he's not coming back."  
  
[And what we have to learn  
  
We rarely choose]  
  
She thought back to that night three weeks ago again.what exactly had Mai meant by hurting Joey more by killing HER than himself? Obviously she didn't mean it literally.so what else could it be? A variety of thoughts began to spin through her mind, none more so than the idea of hurting Joey emotionally, by trying to kill her. When she arrived at her final conclusion, her eyes filled up with tears.  
  
"It's all my fault.all my fault!"  
  
[So if it's God who took his soul  
  
That cannot be the whole  
  
Reason for his fate]  
  
* Flashback *  
  
Téa was walking slowly yet gracefully across the road, on her way to meet Yugi for their date. Her black ballroom gown sparkled in the twilight glow of the sun, the vibrant sequins reflecting flashes of pure crystal and gold. She strode confidently onwards, holding her head up high, as several passing drivers sounded their horns and gave shrill wolf-whistles as they drove by.  
  
"Some people!" she complained aloud.before realising that someone was standing directly in front of her. She accidentally collided into him. Picking herself back up, she apologised sincerely.and then looked up to see who it was.  
  
"Oops! Sorry Joe," she said, excusing herself. Joey just stood there rigid, as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Oh don't worry I'm fine, everything's OK, yup no problemo ain't nothin' wrong here," he mumbled all at once, coming out far too fast for Téa to make any sense of it all. She laughed a little.  
  
"What's up?" she delivered conclusively, "You never talk like that Joey!" He began to scramble in his mind for some way of answering the question, but couldn't find one:  
  
"Oh nothin', why'd ya ask? Are you worried 'bout me?" he asked again, every word seemingly rushing out of his mouth simultaneously. Téa chuckled again.  
  
"No, don't worry.don't want to baby you and all Joe," she replied, smiling, before turning back to face the open road, "See ya!"  
  
She was about to walk away, when she felt Joey's hand suddenly holding onto hers.  
  
"Listen Téa I gotta tell you somethin'." he finally managed to utter, the first sentence fluently spoken that evening.  
  
"Well can't it wait Joey, I'm sorta in a hurry right now." Téa answered, attempting to remove Joey's hand from hers.but he only seemed to grab it tighter.  
  
"Nah.sorry it can't," he shot back, attempting to sound concerned. She tried to wriggle free of his grip again, but his hands only became more clamped around hers.  
  
"Joey you're hurting me now.let go" she said sternly, a faint uneasiness appearing in her eyes as she stared him down. This time she tried to pull her entire body away, but she was still stuck where she was.something really was different about Joey tonight.she just couldn't put her finger on it... "Please Téa.can't we just go inside and talk about dis?  
  
"NO Joey, what's the matter with you today? Can't you take a hint" she asked, finally jerking her hand away from his. Yet as soon as she managed to slip away, her other hand was encased in his strong grip. Now she was really scared.  
  
"Téa I really ain't feeling that great," he confessed ".just stay the night, please?"  
  
"No Joey I'm going to meet Yugi.maybe we'll talk later, or tomorrow, but not right now.so can you let go now?" she asked, putting on a mock smile.but her words came out as nervous stutters.  
  
"No." Joey answered back. His eyes appeared to lose their glow of confidence and energy.and blackened into a dark and vengeful colour. This was the final straw.  
  
"Joey I said LET GO!" Téa screamed aloud, shouting in his face. His expression only changed into a smirk of malice.but his words came out sweetly and pleadingly.  
  
"Please Téa I'm sick of always bein' on me own.you gotta stay." he answered, cringing wryly as he continued to pull her nearer to him. He was really pushing his luck now, Téa thought.  
  
"Dammit Joey let go!" she yelled again, punching his arm quite weakly and kicking him in the shin. Joey reacted to her bout of aggression by holding her by the waist and bringing her against his hips.  
  
"Please."  
  
"GET OFF OF ME!" Téa shrieked. She kicked him in the crotch (not for the first time in the fic) and ran off crying. Joey hobbled back to his feet and watched her disappear over the horizon.  
  
"What the hell did you do that for, dumbass?" Joey shouted, slapping himself across the face. "How could you do that to her? She's one of ya best friends!" Muttering to himself, he walked away towards his house, retiring from his evening walk for the evening.. "You've really gotta learn ta control ya instincts."  
  
* End Flashback *  
  
"I'm sorry Yugi.I didn't mean to make Joey feel this way, I swear I didn't!" Téa cried, cradling herself in her own arms, rocking herself back and forth in an attempt to console her restless soul.  
  
"No use," she thought, "Yugi paid for what I'd done.it's my fault that Mai was jealous, and in the end Yugi suffered for what I'd done." The rustling of the leaves behind her indicated that it was time to leave this place.it was becoming less and less welcoming by the minute, even though she knew it so well.  
  
[Take care, my love she says  
  
Don't think, that God is dead  
  
Take care, my love she says  
  
You have been loved]  
  
Joey was near to the point of breaking down, back inside the church. His eyes were starting to water, and his bottom lip was trembling. How could he explain to anyone how he felt about Yugi? It was something personal he liked to keep to himself.and not share with these people who thought they knew him. They didn't know the really Yugi, he grumbled under his breath. Yugi wasn't as innocent as they all thought. He and Joey had often spent countless nights talking about girls and stuff.it all seemed so childish now. But even that was something that Yugi had always been: the epitome of youth, childhood personified. Everything was just so funny and vibrant about him, right from his innocent smile down to his puppy-like stare. Beneath it all, though, he was just a normal teenage kid. Sure he avoided fights whenever he could, and his growth spurt was WELL overdue, but he loved to talk about duelling, hanging out, and sports too. He always loved to be the centre of attention, the leader, if you like, and enjoy the responsibility of protecting his friends.just like he'd done for Téa.  
  
That was what Joey admired the most.  
  
[If I was weak, forgive me  
  
But I was terrified]  
  
"I'm sorry I couldn't save him guys.I'm real sorry," he shouted, releasing all of his pent-up emotions in those words. He dropped his head to the floor, hiding his face in his hands and turning away from the rest of the congregation.  
  
Nobody said anything.not even Seto (a first). They all knew how close Joey was to Yugi.and how there were some things he'd much rather them not know about. They understood more than he gave them credit for.especially Tristan, who'd been with him from day 1. The priest noticed how difficult the situation had become, and so decided that now was a good time to move on with the service.  
  
"I apologise for that," he spoke kindly to Joey, "You may return to your seat now."  
  
"NO!" Joey bellowed defiantly, raising his eyes to the priest's and glaring deep into them, ".there's something they still have to know."  
  
"Joey I really think you should sit down," Ryou said, standing up from his seat in the aisle, "Come on.take my seat, it's the least I can do."  
  
Yet again Joey was reminded of how he hadn't phoned Ryou on the night that Yugi died.rendering himself speechless and inanimate once again.  
  
[You brushed her eyes with angels' wings  
  
Full of love  
  
The kind that makes devils cry]  
  
"Yugi didn't die just to save Téa." he said, ignoring Bakura's offer, trembling between sobs and thoughts of the evening continuing to rack his brain and eat away at his mind."He saved me too."  
  
The congregation began to feel uneasy, fidgeting in their seats accordingly. Joey seemed to be far away. He wasn't paying attention to them anymore. His eyes appeared to be staring through them into nothingness, his face a wobbling picture of grief.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kaiba grumbled insensitively, "Talk sense!"  
  
"Kaiba!" Tristan shouted out, jumping from his seat and punching him in the face. Kaiba squirmed in pain, curling up on the bench as he began to feel the after effects of his words.  
  
Tristan turned back to Joey, smiling nervously.  
  
"Sorry Joe.you were sayin'?"  
  
Joey fell silent again, smearing the tears from his face with his hands.  
  
"He.he saved me from myself." he continued, "I don't know what I woulda done if he hadn't bin there ta hold me back."  
  
He paused again, but was only answered with puzzled glances. Joey sighed.they still had no idea what he was getting at. At least he could still leave with something.  
  
[So these days, her life has changed  
  
And she'll be fine (she'll be fine)  
  
But he just sits and counts the hours  
  
Searching for.his crime]  
  
Tristan was feeling very uncomfortable. It wasn't like Joey to be feeling so down about anything for long.but not even domestic abuse had brought tears to his eyes like this had. Even when he was beaten by his father he would always stand tall, never backing down.but here he was tormenting himself over a crime he didn't commit.or maybe there was something Tristan didn't know yet.  
  
I can't even tell him, Joey thought. He began to smile inwardly.none of them would know. He grinned awkwardly as he remembered something he had left at home.only one person would be concerned enough to find it.  
  
"My last memento," he whispered under his breath, stalling slightly before he spoke aloud again. "But there's no-one ta save me now." he wept, slowly stepping away from the altar and walking backwards towards the church doors. He stopped against the wall, leaning his back against it, ".no-one"  
  
"Err Joey, you're really starting to freak me out here buddy," Tristan shouted across to him. He stood up, his entire body shaking, as his voice came out trembling "C'mon man, sit down!"  
  
Joey simply shook his head. "No Tristan.I can't stay here anymore.not with all this," His hand delved into his pocket, half-emerging, seemingly gripping the handle of something. Tristan glared at his hand and went wide- eyed.  
  
"JOEY NO!" he screamed.he saw the glint of metal wink at his eye as Joey withdrew a Butcher Knife from his back pocket. Running towards him, Tristan lunged at Joey, attempting to knock him to the ground.  
  
"Too late, bro." Joey whimpered, clutching the knife and pulling it towards his chest. The entire hall fell silent as the cold metal blade pierced Joey's jacket, running a deep hole through his chest. Joey writhed in agony as the blade tore through his flesh, before he slumped to the ground.  
  
"GOD JOEY.WHY?" Tristan yelled, shaking Joey's motionless body back and forth. Joey was breathing heavily, placing his hands on the wound and feeling every droplet of blood seethe through the tear.  
  
"I.can't." was all Joey could manage, as he began to cough violently, blood spurting from his throat to the floor below. Nobody moved.it was as if the world stood still. Tristan was still frantically clinging to Joey's lifeless body, tears stinging his eyes as much as Joey's were.  
  
Eventually, Tristan reluctantly let Joey slip from his grasp, droplets of his tears merging with Joey's blood. He rose to his feet, never letting his eyes off of Joey's now violet jacket.  
  
"Why Joey.why?"  
  
Joey attempted to pull his head back up, but restlessly allowed it to fall to the floor again. The blade dropped effortlessly from his hand to the tapestry below, a loud clatter echoing throughout the hall. With his dying breath, he mouthed something towards the sky above.  
  
"I'm so sorry Yugi.I'm so sorry I betrayed you."  
  
[Take care, my love he says  
  
Don't think, that God is dead  
  
Take care, my love he says  
  
You have been loved]  
  
  
  
  
  
Well that's the end of the penultimate chapter, but the prologue will be up just as soon I reckon.thank you to everyone who's written reviews so far, and I'm glad most of you've been pretty emotional about it all ^_^ nice to know I'm getting the message across. LAST CHAPTER UP SOON!  
  
~Yugi Muuto~ 


	12. Together Again

The last thing Téa wanted right now was to go home. . .that would seem like the last port of call for her. Guilt tore at every chord of her heart as she hurriedly bustled through the quiet forest undergrowth. Her hair was a mess by the time she emerged back onto the quiet twilight streets of Domino city centre, slumping her hands back into her lycra shorts and bowing her head to the floor.  
  
Walking quickly, her mind drifted once more, stumbling once or twice over the loose paving stones, as she became engrossed in her thoughts. And the one person who popped into her mind immediately as she began to wander, was Joey. She smiled ironically and laughed a little.  
  
Of all the reactions she could have made, the least she thought she would do was laugh. . .though it was funny how fate seemed to have her best interests at heart one minute and then throw it straight back in her face the next. And it was funny how Joey had never been that secretive before now, when he REALLY had something to hide. . . and it was funny how her life was such a mess.  
  
She wondered why he'd never told her how he'd felt.and how long he'd kept it a secret from her. But no one really knew Joey for his private life, as it was something he liked to keep personal. After all, you wouldn't go around letting people know that your father beats you every day when you come home from school, would you? Turning the corner from the dusty highroad, Téa found herself walking towards Yugi's house again, stifling the laughs that embodied her heartache.  
  
When she reached the porch of the game shop, she stopped. Noticing the 'closed' sign dangling from the inside of the doorway, she paused in her thoughts. By this time of day, Sugoruko and Yugi would be unpacking the familiar cardboard boxes for tomorrow's trade, shifting the empty duel monsters boxes and replacing them with shiny new ones. It was like that every day until three weeks ago. . .  
  
She turned her head away as tears began to form in the corner of her eyes, wiping them submissively, before turning back to the shop window.  
  
Even after Yugi's release, Sugoruko had managed to keep the shop alive, though he often relied on Joey and Tristan to help with the sorting. She laughed again as she remembered how Sugoruko would shout at the boys if even ONE box was laid out-of-place. Then he would continue to open the boxes, muttering about how things used to be so much more simple. . .  
  
Looking back through the window though, Téa could only see empty boxes littered along the floor. There was no gleam from the sunset on the 'Latest in' sign. . .nor from the glass counter. The shelves looked dusty, and the cards on show seemed to have lost their vibrant colours. Everything was different, dull. . .and blurry.  
  
But it was getting late. . .and why wasn't Sugoruko back from the funeral yet?. . . Fiddling in her pockets, Téa brought out a deck of cards and sorted through them.  
  
They were Yugi's. . .she had found his deck in his jacket, and managed to recover them just before the blood. . .  
  
She shook her head again, concentrating on the task at hand. "Celtic Guardian, Mystical Elf, Kuriboh. . ." she listed to herself under her breath, "I wish I had cards like Yugi's. . ."  
  
She laughed meaninglessly again.  
  
"Shame I didn't think about looking at them until now. . ."  
  
She continued to browse through his deck as the sun gradually laid in wait for the moonlight to illuminate the night streets, seemingly looking for a particular card. Her hand finally laid itself on his last creature. . .  
  
"This has to be it," she muttered to herself, flipping the flat portrait over. She sighed as the familiar monochrome painting of the 'Mammoth Graveyard' appeared on the flimsy piece of paper, "But where's his Dark Magician? His favourite. . ."  
  
Leaning her hands out in front of her and placing the deck back in her pocket, she noticed a card fall out from the centre of the pile. As it floated to the floor, Téa noticed a glint of light sparkle from the back of the card. Coming to rest on the pavement, she carefully picked it up and observed the back of it, watching it glint in the moonlight once more.  
  
" How could I have missed this? It's laminated, and so well kept. . .this must be it" she confirmed, admiring the soft exterior of the coated card, flicking it over.  
  
But as she finally held it out in front of her, her eyes began to widen, her lips trembling.  
  
"No. . .no it can't be," she dismissed, shaking her head in denial at the sight that fell upon her. Again she felt the tears. . . breaking down again.  
  
Her whole body was shaking as she continued to flick the card over and over again, still never accepting the portrait that continued to appear time and time again. It was as if it was mocking her, every time her eyes laid to rest on the aquamarine backdrop. . . the tiny wings. . .the rounded, passive face. . .and the halo looming over it. The Shining Friendship card.  
  
Clenching her hands at her hair, Téa bolted down the road as the tidal wave of unwanted memories arose in her heart, breaking down all that she had tried to cope with for the last three weeks. Her auburn hair lay strewn about her face as droplets of sweat and tears cascaded around her features, after every footstep. . .every tormenting stride. Yugi must have replaced his favourite card with one of mine, she thought to herself.  
  
She brought the image up to her face again, studying each shimmering fibre of the card scrutinously.  
  
"1300/1100. . .it can't even compare with the Dark Magician," she mumbled between sobs, teardrops accentuating the shimmer of the card's glittering texture. Yet it remained clear as to why Yugi had made the switch. . .though she couldn't bring herself to admit it. A sign of dedication.  
  
Raising her head to her surroundings again, she was surprised to see that her reaction had gone unnoticed. No one was in sight, and everything felt so cold. . .and it wasn't the familiar bitter autumn breeze. Loneliness had finally sunk in.  
  
"Maybe it doesn't have to be this way. . ." she mumbled to herself as she eyed the tower blocks conspicuously, her sight blurred by the watercolour smears covering her aquamarine orbs of light. Taking in her new environment, she realised she was now standing just yards away from Joey's porch. . .  
  
"It doesn't have to end this way. . ." she repeated to herself, calmly tapping on the door. She stopped almost as soon as she had begun to tap the door, however, when she noticed a mournful string on moans coming from the top window of Joey's house. . .which didn't seem particularly likely to actually BE Joey's. . .  
  
Téa set her eyes on the floor again as she rested her back against the door. . .  
  
*I just can't bear to see Joey putting himself through this. . .and his friends too. . .*  
  
Téa closed her eyes tightly and shook her head, softly moaning to herself as she recalled the night she and Yugi had spent together in the same porch.  
  
"I miss you Yugi. . .I just wish we could be together one last time. . ."  
  
She was cut short. Before she realised it, the door was giving way from behind her. Stumbling inside the doorway, she tried to recollect herself. . .why was the door open? The moaning from above was becoming louder too, with the odd sound of a sniff or two now and again. Catching her breath, she decided to climb the stairs, noticing the gut-wrenching cries coming from the direction of Joey's bedroom.  
  
It took a lot out of Téa to just approach the door. . .so close to where she thought Joey would have taken her on the night she was going to meet Yugi. . .  
  
Turning the handle, she cautiously peered her head around the doorway to see a figure crouching on the bed, facing away from her towards the front window. Golden locks of hair ran across the back of her grey overcoat, her veiled violet eyes reflected in the light of the window. . .her head bowed down to her feet.  
  
Téa quickly turned her head back into the hallway. She didn't need to take another look to know who it was.  
  
"Mai. . ." she mumbled to herself, closing her eyes and resting on the wall opposite. But it appeared that Mai had heard the door creaking. . .the next thing Téa saw was her walking out into the hallway. Their eyes met, as if disbelieving that one another was there. Mai almost immediately turned away. . .  
  
"I know I shouldn't be here," she confessed, staring longingly back towards Joey's bedroom, before turning her gaze on Téa again.  
  
"But I needed to say goodbye to him again, properly, one last time. . .and I didn't let him know I was there. . ."  
  
Téa eyed her oddly, feeling a new twinge of comfort arising over the desire she felt. . .the desire to hate her for what she'd done to Yugi, and almost her.  
  
"What. . .what are you talking about?" she replied, standing rigid, though almost her entire body was quaking with fear and hurt.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"Yugi didn't die just to save Téa. . ."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean? Talk sense!"  
  
A dark figure paced along the rafters of the church roof, scaling the wooden beams along the top of the hall as Seto decided to make his presence felt. Waves of grey and white flashed now and again from the hidden darkness above the pair, as a set of narrow, watchful eyes gazed down on the congregation. Completely unnoticed.just as she'd planned.  
  
Mai knew that they'd never allow her to take part in the service. . .whoever heard of a murderer attending their victim's funeral? But she still felt the guilt of her deed too much to bear. . .she had to prove that she was truly sorry.  
  
It wasn't hard to lose the cops from when she'd last seen Joey. . .a little chloroform here and there was enough to put them out for a while, and enough time for her to make a quick exit. The only problem then was the simple matter of where to go. . .if she went home they'd surely find her out.  
  
So for the last few weeks she'd be 'around'. . .invisible to the human eye. Days of hiding and scrounging. . .even her usually glossy purple jacket was beginning to lose its vibrant tint.  
  
"Kaiba! You were sayin' bro?"  
  
Mai quickly snapped back into the present, realising that Joey had now pinned himself against the back wall. Joey. . .the guy who made her cry, scream, lie. . .and even drove her to kill. But he was honest. . .Mai smirked to herself as she remembered that. In her experience guys were always hiding something, and the only way to get it out of them was to find out for herself. But Joey. . .he'd been completely honest with her. Sighing, she rested her head on the wooden beam, remembering how well they had got on until a few months ago. And even now, she still wanted him. Sure he'd put her through pain, but Joey wasn't just the ordinary guy. . .he had skill, spirit, courage, and determination. . .the ideal properties that made up a real man.  
  
"He. . .he saved me from myself. . .I dunno what I woulda done if he hadn't bin there ta hold me back. . ."  
  
What was he talking about now? Something about Yugi holding him back. . .what did that mean? This was becoming more and more confusing to her every second. She unintentionally leaned her head out from the darkness of the rafters and took a better look of the sight below her.  
  
"But there's no-one ta save me now. . ."  
  
Several people below her seemed to be moving uncomfortably, before the brown haired youth on the edge of the row began to stand up. . .  
  
"Err Joey, you're really starting to freak me out here buddy, c'mon, sit down man" No mistaking that voice, it had to be Tristan. Mai's eyes sprung from him to Joey. . .the intensity of the moment they shared was obvious. Joey didn't appear to be listening to him though. . .yet again he seemed distant, and far away.  
  
"No Tristan. . .I can't stay here anymore. . .not with all this."  
  
Before she could look back at Tristan, Mai noticed a gleam of light shining from Joey's jean pockets. She glanced back towards it quickly, but the light had been dulled by the shape of Joey's fist balling over it. A knife. She wanted to scream out to him. . .but then she'd only be caught. She wanted to turn away. . .but that was useless too. . .her whole body was fixed in position.  
  
"Joey NO!"  
  
Mai watched through terrified eyes as Tristan flung himself towards Joey. . .but missed him by an inch. She gasped back tears as Joey revealed the object he kept in his pocket, watching how Tristan pleaded with him not to do this to himself. . .and then the blade tearing through him. That was enough. . .Mai quickly looked away from what she saw, crying into her hands as she thought of what she'd done to him. . .what she'd done to make him take something so precious. His life. Her heart told her to take one last look, but her head argued against it.  
  
Peering over the edge, she saw Tristan shaking Joey, blood smeared over his white T-shirt and green jacket. Staring down at him, she could see he was still clutching the knife in his hand. Crying through tired eyes, she looked up from his body to his face. Then she gasped. . .he'd seen her. Even from high above she could now see him staring at her. She returned his gaze, yearningly waiting for him to say something to her, even if it did mean her being taken away again. She watched as his mouth seemed to curl up at the edges, and then. . .it was almost as if he mouthed something. Thank You. But after a second the knife clattered from his hand to the floor, and she cried openly as his body followed suit. But her tears went unnoticed, even as they fell to the floor of the hall. . .lonely once more. Shaking her head and wiping the tears across her face, she feebly gripped to the window above her and climbed back off of the church, running back off into the shadows again.  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
"Joey's gone too. . ." Téa repeated to herself, walking back into his bedroom as if in some kind of trance. She sat on the end of the bed, gazing out through the open window in much the same way Mai had. She herself walked back into the room and sat next to her on the far side of the bed. The last thing she wanted to do was hear about it again. . .it had only been a matter of hours ago, but it seemed like she'd known it all her life.  
  
"I guess Yugi and Joey really did seem like brothers, huh?" Mai sighed, smiling ironically, edging slowly closer to her. Téa nodded slowly, still denying what Mai had just told her. Yugi saved her. . .and then she wasn't there when she could have helped Joey. How was she going to live this down? Bowing her head, tears rolled along her cheeks again as she tried to console herself.  
  
And then her eyes fell on what appeared to be a book edge, sticking out from the top drawer of Joey's bedside cabinet, stained with the sticky decay of beer across the surfaces.  
  
"Mai, have you seen this?" Téa asked, reaching towards the chest of drawers and bringing back what appeared to be a thick scrapbook. Mai turned to see her holding the book out in front of her face.  
  
"No.what do you think it is?" she asked unconvincingly, staring back over towards the windowpane. Her eyes began to slowly drift back towards the pad, though, as Téa started to pace through the title.  
  
"It's called 'My Struggle'. . ." she read aloud. She paused for a moment, before slamming the book down on the cabinet and choking back more tears.  
  
"I can't read it. . .I just can't" she protested against herself, shifting her sights towards the open doorway. She was about to get up and run there and then. . .but something held her back. There was another long pause. . .both of them shifted uncomfortably along the side of the bed, before Mai broke the silence.  
  
"Téa. . .how did you cope after losing Yugi?" she asked calmly. "I've never known what it feels like to actually lose someone I cared about before. . ."  
  
Téa's eyes shot back a glance of uncharacteristic sheer venom, her eyes narrowing as she looked Mai dead in the face.  
  
"How did I cope? After you went and took away everything that was important to me?" she almost literally spat out, disgusted that Mai would ask such a question. Incidentally, Mai just sat there and stared back towards the night sky. . .hardly listening to her reply at all. Like Joey, she was now distant. . .which could lead to only one thing.  
  
Téa appeared to calm slightly as she realised that Mai was paying her no attention. . . she was still bitterly hurt by what she had done to Yugi, but she was in the same situation as her now. Cold. Alone.  
  
"Actually Mai, I don't know how I coped. . ." she finally replied, honestly. "Every day I'd just wake up in the morning, and remember how I could never see him again. Every morning I'd cry. . .but something drove me on. I don't know what it was. . .maybe it was the support that the people around me gave. . .but I blocked them out. I didn't want to hear sympathy Mai. . .I didn't want to seem weak"  
  
After a few seconds, Mai turned her gaze back towards Téa, her eyes now filled with guilt and sadness. The lustrous violet glow of her eyes seemed to have faded away. . . her face was an open book.  
  
"I'm sorry Téa," she spoke quietly," I never knew how much this could hurt until now.but what you had to go through. . ."  
  
She ended abruptly as a stream of tears ran down her face, forming a small patch of water on the bedsheets.  
  
"I thought I had pride. . .I thought I had something to live for. . .but I know I don't anymore," she said, shaking her head submissively.  
  
It's funny how fate seems to have your best interests at heart one minute, and then throws them back in your face the next. Human nature isn't driven by emotions. . .instinct is a very compelling thing. And sitting there on the edge of Joey's bed, her life almost at its imminent end, Téa laid her arm over Mai's shoulder. Comforting the person who'd caused her so much pain.the person, like her, whose only crime was to love someone. Her only crime was to care for a man who was lost in his own jumbled life, a mess of his own emotions. And the only person who seemed to remain stable throughout the entire situation, was Yugi.  
  
Hugging her supportively, Téa began to pour out her heart to Mai too. . .what was there left to hide anymore? Nothing would make a difference now. . .and there was only one way to rectify the past.  
  
"You know, I think they're actually pretty happy up there," Mai mentioned, briefly smiling again as she looked out towards the dark night sky.  
  
Nodding silently, Téa laid her head down on her shoulder, looking out in the same direction. Mai gave a long sigh, resting her head on Téa's.  
  
"But I've let him go once before. . .and I can't lose him again," she spoke, an aura of silent confidence falling around her. "I will be with him again.'  
  
Startled by her new-found courage, Anzu closed her eyes and hugged her tighter. "I know what we have to do. . ."  
  
[There are times when I look above and beyond,  
  
There are times when I feel your love around me, baby.  
  
I'll never forget you baby.  
  
When I feel that I don't belong,  
  
Draw my strength from the words you said,  
  
"Hey it's about you baby. Look deeper inside you baby.  
  
Dream about us together again,  
  
what I want, us together again, baby."  
  
I know we'll be together again 'cause. . .]  
  
"I guess it was always gonna come down to this, huh Yugi?" Joey asked rhetorically. Yugi just stared at him with uneasy eyes and smiled.  
  
"I think you're right Joey. . .but it's such a shame to see them take it this hard." "But you do want to be with Anzu, don't ya?" Joey replied, grinning boldly, "You can't hide it Yugi. . ."  
  
[Everywhere I go, every smile I see;  
  
I know you are there, smilin' back at me.  
  
Dancin' in moonlight , I know you are free,  
  
Cause I can see your star shinin' down on me]  
  
Again Yugi just smiled at his comment, replying accordingly "I do Joey. . .and I know we'll be happy this way."  
  
They both stared down from the clouds as they watched Mai and Anzu climb onto the skylight of the house, their wispy hair wavering in the wind as the cold air rustled Domino City once more. What was heaven without someone to share it with? As they watched the figures beneath them hold hands, Joey tapped Yugi on the shoulder. Turning, Yugi saw Joey staring at him with a worried expression on his face.  
  
[Good times we'll share again; makes me wanna dance.  
  
Say it loud and proud, all my love's for you!  
  
Always been a true angel to me, now above,  
  
I can't wait for you to wrap your wings around me, baby.  
  
Sometimes hear you whisperin' no more pain.  
  
No worries will you ever see now, baby.  
  
Dream about us together again,  
  
what I want, us together again, baby.  
  
I know we'll be together again cause. . .]  
  
"Yug. . .I'm real sorry for what I felt for Anzu. . ." he confessed, his eyes set on his friend's. He didn't get to finish what he was saying though, Yugi was already mucking around with his hair.  
  
"It's ok Jono-kun" he answered, laughing. " I know better than to take you seriously. . ."  
  
"HEY! What's dat s'possed ta mean!" Joey shot back, smiling broadly, "C'mon, I'll take both of you on. . .you an dat haircut of yours. . .can't be as dangerous as Tristan's can it?"  
  
Yugi chuckled again as he slapped Joey on the back. "I don't think Tristan would thank you for that. . ." he replied.  
  
Joey sighed, falling back onto the cloud again.  
  
"Man Yugi. . .I didn't know how hard it'd be to live without 'em," he said unhappily, before looking back at Yugi again, holding his hand out. Yugi grinned and slapped his hand, holding it tightly.  
  
"They'll be with us soon Joey, but right now there's somebody else who needs you" Joey smiled back weakly, looking back over the cloud towards the pair below.  
  
"I love you Mai. . .what I put you through, what I did to you. I only wish I undastood what was bothering ya sooner. . .but this time I swear I'll make it right"  
  
[Everywhere I go, every smile I see;  
  
I know you are there, smilin' back at me.  
  
Dancin' in moonlight, I know you are free,  
  
Cause I can see your star shinin' down on me.]  
  
  
  
Anzu smiled again as the night air and moonlight made her hair sparkle, gazing up into the night sky. Her mind was made up. . .what kind of life was there down here for her now?  
  
Mai also stared out at the same star, smiling against the cold breeze. Joey was up there. . .they'd be together again, just as she wanted. Leaning her hand out to Anzu, Mai looked at her with concern in her eyes. Anzu stood there rigid, still mentally far away, and she knew what Mai was about to ask her.  
  
"I know he'll forgive you Mai. . .you've shown me the person you really are, and I know that's the person who's standing with me now"  
  
[Good times we'll share again; makes me wanna dance.  
  
Say it loud and proud, all my love's for you!  
  
There are times when I look above and beyond.  
  
There are times when I feel your smile upon me baby,  
  
I'll never forget my baby.  
  
What I'd give just to hold you close.  
  
As on Earth, in Heaven, we will be together, baby.  
  
Together again my baby, cause...]  
  
Mai returned her eyes towards a distant star, watching the moon rise, the lost vibrant glow of her eyes returning to their normal confidence.  
  
"Thank you Anzu. . .thank you for showing me how much more there is to someone than what there seems," she said, shaking her hair in the cold light that fell upon them, "I don't know how I would have found the courage to do this without you. . ."  
  
Yet again Anzu didn't seem to be listening to her. She could only mumble a few words beneath her breath as she strode towards the edge of the rooftop.  
  
"I will be with you Yugi. . .we'll make it through, this time. . .I know we can"  
  
[Everywhere I go, every smile I see;  
  
I know you are there, smilin' back at me.  
  
Dancin' in moonlight, I know you are free,  
  
Cause I can see your star shinin' down on me.]  
  
Yugi and Joey remained fixed on their perch in the clouds as they watched the pair begin their final descent.  
  
Holding Joey's hand, Yugi looked up at him again.  
  
"We can start again this time. . ." he spoke spiritedly, "I just need to say one thing before we do. . ."  
  
Joey stared back at him, completely perplexed.  
  
"An what's dat Yug?"  
  
Yugi held his hand tighter, staring back up at Joey with tears in his eyes.  
  
"When we start again. . .just remember something will you?"  
  
"Sure Yugi. . .I'll try. . ."  
  
Yugi hugged his friend, tears rolling down his cheeks.  
  
"No matter what happens, I'll always care for you Joey. . ."  
  
Joey was quite startled by the hug, but wrapped his arms around Yugi anyway. After a second however, he pushed him away.  
  
"Wait a second. . .you tryin' ta tell me you're gay Yugi?"  
  
Yugi looked back at him with wide eyes, his smile turning into a playful scowl.  
  
"NEVER CALL ME GAY!" he yelled, pushing Joey over. For a second he laughed. . .and then sighed again. They both crawled back over to their lookout point as they watched the pair fall to their escape from the world.  
  
"And whatever happens, we'll always be with each other"  
  
[Everywhere I go, every smile I see;  
  
I know you are there, smilin' back at me.  
  
Dancin' in moonlight, I know you are free,  
  
Cause I can see your star shinin' down on me.]  
  
End  
  
Well the story's been going for 4 months now.and I thought I owed all of you an ending too. If you liked it please say so. . .I'd have no motivation to write without people like you, and if you want to see more from me I think you should review this story. My thoughts go out to all of you who have been touched by the story. . .I never thought when I started out that I'd get the response that I did. People crying, and literally begging for the next chapter really spurred me on to keep writing, though I know I've taken my time, and I'm sorry for that. We've seen a lot throughout the story's lifetime. . .very nearly lemons, destructive and unloved relationships, and even a string of songs along the way too.  
  
If you'd like to know where to find the songs that I've used in the fic, they're in the 'Confessions of Love' soundtrack below. And if you've never heard 'Together Again' by Janet Jackson before, I think that plays a key role in the emotional finale. . .so download it if you can! ^^ Thank you, and goodnight  
  
Chapter 1: Lonely, by Peter Andre Chapter 3: Earthbound, by Connor Reeves Chapter 5: Finally Found, by Honeyz Chapter 7: End of the Road, by Boyz II Men Chapter 9: Everything I do, by Bryan Adams and Hero, by Enrique Inglesias Chapter 10: You have been Loved, by George Michael Final Chapter: Together Again, by Janet Jackson  
  
Oh, and just for the lyrics in the title,  
  
Entire Story: Wrong Impression, by Natalie Imbruglia  
  
~Yugi Muuto, 9th August, 2002~ 


End file.
